NEW DELHI/PATNA: Around 200 Indian nationals, many of them possibly coronavirus carriers, are being pushed from Nepal into India by a notorious arms smuggler, according to intelligence inputs of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) which guards the country’s border with Nepal.
The assistant commandant of the SSB’s 47th battalion based at Ramgarhwa in Bihar’s East Champaran district informed the local administration and intelligence agencies about the activities of smuggler Jalim Mukhiya and his “plans to spread coronavirus in India”.
The SSB letter, addressed to the district magistrate and the superintendent of police of West Champaran district, says about 200 Indians who worked in various countries, along with 5-6 Pakistani nationals, have reached Nepal and are residing in a mosque in Chandanbasra and Khairwa villages. Mukhiya is trying to smuggle them into India in batches as international air travel is suspended in wake of the coronavirus outbreak. According to intelligence inputs, many of these people may be Covid-19 positive and are consuming paracetamol tablets to lower body temperature.
Mukhiya is a resident of Jagannathpur village in Parsa district of Nepal and was chargesheeted in cases of smuggling of arms and fake currency in both the countries.Officials said the SSB has informed its Nepalese counterpart, the Armed Police Force.
“With the new intelligence that has been generated, we have asked all the units to be more cautious against any suspicious movement and have enhanced patrolling and electronic surveillance,” said a senior SSB official.