It was around 2pm on October 16. A woman passed through a Nepali security check post at Krishnanagar border point and entered the Indian town of Badhani. Finding her activities suspicious, the Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) personnel frisked her and confiscated 910 grams of hashish. The woman, who identified herself as Mina from Siddharthanagar, India, claimed during interrogation that she was just a porter and brought the contraband from Nepal, and that she smuggled hashish to India from the same border point (Krishnanagar) three-four times earlier as well.

On September 21, Nepal Police personnel apprehended motorcycle-borne two Indian nationals with a pistol and five bullets from Chandrauta. They were heading to Krishnanagar when they were detained. Pritam Kumar and Suraj Dwivedi from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh had entered Nepal the same day through the Krinanagar border point, hoodwinking the security personnel deployed there. The two were searched only after they started a quarrel with locals in Krishnanagar, which led to the discovery of their weapons.

These incidents show ongoing security lapses in Krishnanagar, a sensitive border point between Nepal and India. Sources claimed that the Krishnanagar border has increasingly been used by smugglers trafficking drugs and small arms. Security lapses at this checkpoint have surfaced one after another over the past two-three years, pointing to a troubling pattern.

There are security checkpoints in six places—manned by Nepal Police in five places and by customs officials in one place—along a 10-km stretch from Bahadurgunj to Krishnanagar. But the security personnel and customs officials appeared unaware of both the aforementioned incidents.

Local residents expressed their concerns over the lax security in Krishnanagar, one of 10 major customs points of Nepal. The Krishnanagar border point was infamous for smuggling and criminal activities some 10-15 years ago, and the local residents say the recent security lapses are reminiscent of the porous border conditions a decade ago.

“The recent security lapses tarnish the image of the border point. Questions are arising about security challenges, as the security agencies are manipulated by some political parties and their leaders,” said Manoj Ojha, the central member of Janamat Party.

The security officers, however, attribute these lapses to lack of modern tools and devices. “We don’t have modern tools and equipment at our security check posts. So we have to conduct checks manually, which can lead to occasional oversights,” said Suraj Khatri, the inspector at the Area Police Office in Krishnanagar.

On October 21, Nepal Police personnel seized IRs 2.05 million in unaccounted money at the main entry gate of Krishnanagar border point. However, the security personnel did not detain ‘the high profile’ Indian politician involved, but arrested her aides and sent the seized money and the detainees to Butwal for further investigation. Sources said the unaccounted money was brought by Aditi Sunil Tatkare, a lawmaker from the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Krishnanagar Police initially said six people including a woman were held with the Indian currency. But the next day police said two Indian nationals were arrested in connecton with the money. Sources said Aditi’s father took her to New Delhi by a chartered helicopter the same night. Aditi and her father are Indian politicians belonging of Nationalist Congress Party.

Krishnanagar is an important border point that links with Indian towns connected with the national railway network. It is the main point for the cross border movement in the mid-western part of Nepal.

Superintendent of Police Niranjan Dutta Bhatta, who is chief of District Police Office in Kapilvastu, admitted that there were minor lapses in border security in Krishnanagar over the past one and half months. “We are investigating the issue and are committed to ensuring effective security surveillance in Krishnanagar border point,” said Bhtta.