Indian authorities unilaterally closed the Nepal-India border bridge for about two hours in Darchula on Monday without giving prior notice to the Nepali side. The Indian side closed the footbridge at 11:06 am on Monday, cutting off the key cross-border access at Darchula district headquarters.

According to Chief District Officer (CDO) Anil Paudel, the Indian side had earlier assured during informal administrative discussions that the bridge would not be closed. However, Paudel said that Indian security forces closed the bridge under pressure from their local population. “There was no official written communication from the Indian administration before the closure,” he added.

The closure is linked to a recent murder incident across the border on the Indian side. On June 7, Kamlesh Lanu was stabbed to death in Dharchula Bazar, located opposite of Darchula’s Khalanga. Since the incident, local groups in Dharchula, led by Gumansingh Bista, president of the Anuwal community, have been pressuring authorities to arrest the perpetrators in the crime. On Saturday, various organisations submitted a memorandum to Pithoragarh’s Deputy District Officer Manjeet Singh. They declared a closure of both Dharchula Bazar and the border bridge until the suspects are arrested.

The victim’s family has filed a first information report (FIR) against three individuals suspected of involvement in the murder, who remain at large. There are suspicions that the suspects may have crossed into Nepal.

Although international border bridges are intended to facilitate smooth cross-border movement through mutual cooperation between the two countries, recent developments have highlighted the vulnerability of Nepal’s administration. Following the closure, Nepali citizens have been stranded in India, while Indian nationals have been unable to return from Nepal.