DEHRADUN: Indian labourers working along the Indo-Nepal border in Dharchula were allegedly pelted with stones by Nepalese nationals leaving at least one person injured and damaging several machineries.
The attack is the 11th such incident of stone pelting by Nepalese nationals over the last two months from across the border against Indian workers engaged in the construction of a safety wall along the Kali river.
The attack comes a day after a joint inspection and talks between officials from both countries.
Enraged by the incident, India has threatened to stop the movement of vehicles from the Nepal side of the border.
In order to protect Dharchula town and surrounding villages, the Indian side is working to build embankments on the banks of the kali river. The construction of the embankment is being hampered by stone pelting from Nepal. On Friday evening, stones were once again hurled from Nepal in Ghatkhola.
Nepalis threw stones at labourers constructing embankments at Ghatkhola in Dharchula, breaking window panes of two dumpers, two tipper trucks and JCBs. Dumper driver Danveer Sawant was also injured in the stone pelting. The construction of the embankment has been affected by the incident. There is tremendous anger among the Indian people due to these repeated incidents.
Pithoragarh District Magistrate Reena Joshi told The New Indian Express, "A joint survey has been conducted by both sides as a precautionary measure on the incident. A meeting of high-level officials will also be called in the near future."
Joshi added, "the report sought by the Ministry of External Affairs regarding this incident has also been conveyed to them about the actual situation."
Earlier, another labourer was also injured in a similar stone-pelting incident. Indian traders had closed the 'Jhula' bridge in protest against this incident. In view of the tension, officials of the two countries had said to resolve the problem by meeting in mutual coordination.
Nepal's CDO also came to India and took stock of the situation. A day earlier on Thursday, engineers from Nepal also conducted an on-site inspection along with the local administration. Despite this, there is resentment among Indians due to stone pelting from Nepal.
BJP district vice-president Mahendra Budiyal said, "The Nepal administration is repeatedly failing to stop stone-pelting incidents. This is affecting the construction work of the embankment being built to protect Dharchula. If Nepal does not take punitive action along with banning the activities of anarchists,
the International Jhula Bridge will be closed."