NEW DELHI: At least one Indian was killed and four others were injured on Friday after Nepal police allegedly opened fire at the border between the two countries.
Indian media reported that the firing took place after a clash between the Indians and personnel of Nepal police at the Lalbandi-Janki Nagar border near Sitamarhi district in Bihar.
The additional director general of police Jitendra Kumar confirmed the death and injuries to local media. The place of firing reportedly falls under the jurisdiction of Nepal.
During the firing, an Indian man identified as Vikesh Kumar Rai, aged 25, died on the spot while others named Umesh Ram and Uday Thakur received bullet injuries when they were working in an agricultural field.
Another person named Lagan Rai is said to have been detained by the Nepali police. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The deceased man’s father said that the agricultural land falls under Narayanpur in Nepal where his son was working.
On May 17, Nepal police had fired blank rounds to disperse dozens of Indians trying to cross the border but it was unclear if they were also farmers.
Nepal shares a 1,850-kilometre open border with India and many people travel across it for work and to visit family. Nepal closed its international borders on March 22 amid the coronavirus pandemic.