A man was killed and two others sustained injuries when the Armed Police Force deployed for border security opened fire at a crowd that allegedly tried to attack the security personnel in Prasa Rural Municipality, Sarlahi, on Friday. 

Bikesh Kumar of Sitamarhi district in the Indian state of Bihar succumbed to the bullet injuries in his chest. Likewise, two other men— Uday Thakur and Umesh Rae, both from Sitamarhi— sustained bullet injuries in the incident. 

According to the APF, a fourth man, identified as Nawal Kishor Rae, was captured after he allegedly tried to snatch the weapons from the security personnel. 

SP Gangaram Shrestha, the APF district in charge, said the incident happened after four Indian traders who were turned away by the security personnel from the border returned with hundreds of people and began protesting at the border.

“They came back with hundreds of people to protest which soon turned violent. Our security personnel opened fire as the unruly mob started attacking them,” said Shrestha.

According to eyewitnesses, the seven-member APF team was outnumbered by the advancing protesters. Just as the security personnel were forced to retreat from their post, witnesses said the mob started to attack.

“Our officers fired 10 rounds of warning shots but the mob did not yield. They started attacking the security personnel who in turn shot at them,” Shrestha said.

Chief District Officer Mohan Bahadur GC said the APF personnel had to shoot at the crowd because they became violent despite warning shots that were fired into the air. 

“The situation at the border point is tense at the moment,” said GC.

The local administration has deployed additional APF and Nepal Police personnel at the incident site. The Indian Border Security Force has also mobilised its officers.

A few days ago, a group of suspected Indian smugglers had tried to attack the Nepali security personnel at Phenhara in Sarlahi.