By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 26: A man died while another one was arrested on Wednesday night after the security forces and smugglers exchanged fire in Ward No. 2 in Simraungadh Municipality in Bara district.
A joint team from the Area Police Office, Simraungadh, and Armed Police Force Border Outpost, Golagunj, was caught in a shoot-out with around seven-eight smugglers en-route to India carrying jute sacks.

“Security forces were deployed in the area after locals had complained about persistent marijuana smuggling. Our forces were ambushing the possible areas and came face to face with the smugglers on Wednesday night,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Tul Bahadur Karki.

Police informed that the smugglers opened fire first after which they retaliated for self-defence. One smuggler was hit and he died during treatment, one was arrested and others fled. An officer was also injured.
Police confiscated 75 kg marijuana from the jute backs left in the scene.

Law enforcers had also exchanged fire in Nijgadh in the district in January, 2021, with around 10 smugglers. One smuggler was arrested and 102 kg marijuana was seized.
Similar shoot-out between security forces, those deployed along the southern open border with India, and smugglers has been taking place once in a while in Terai districts.
A year ago, an Indian national sustained a bullet after being shot by a .303 rifle of Nepal Police after he opened fire first while police tried stopping his motorcycle for a security check in Ward No. 9 in Simraungadh. A pistol was seized from the injured identified as Brijkishor Kushwaha.

In April, 2021, a 20-year-old Indian national died in a shoot-out between police and smugglers at Gahunbari area in Ward No. 8 of Belauri Municipality of Kanchanpur district. A police officer was also injured.
Other individuals had fled the scene leaving behind the items they were carrying – two fake currency printing machine, 24.86 gm white sugar and 65.81 gm brown sugar among others.

“A zero-tolerance policy has been adopted by all police departments against production, sale and smuggling of arms and ammunitions. However, several smugglers are found carrying guns which has increased the risks but officers take necessary steps as per the situation,” said SP Karki, who is also the spokesperson for Madhes Province Police Office.
All the eight districts of Madhes Province borders India in the south and smuggling of several goods including drugs are rampant through the open border.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior police officer working as the chief of a district police bordering India, stressed that there was a need to equip border security forces with retaliating machinery and high-level surveillance system.
Three men were also arrested from Kailari Rural Municipality in Kailali district with a gun and five cartridges on Wednesday. Since guns are made locally across Nepal for several purposes, it has also raised the risk of criminals getting equipped with the arms.

A group of five hunters had also opened fire at police with locally made muzzle loader guns from the forest in Ishwarpur Municipality of Sarlahi district in May, 2021. One man was arrested from the scene after police retaliated, along with three motorcycles and a dead blue bull.

According to Nepal Police Mirror, 2021, a total 463 pieces of long arms and 92 short arms were seized from different parts of the country in 2020/21. Likewise, 155,644.75 kg marijuana, 21,917.48 kg hashish, 555.55 kg opium, 88.60 kg heroin and 59.44 kg cocaine were also seized during the period.

“Availability of arms in an easy way will pose threat to the security of all. The open border is also a risk for both the countries due to which we coordinate with the counterparts to control cross-border crimes. We are doing our best with the resources we have,” said SP Karki.