SSB, states bordering Nepal alerted, post-split in Nepal Maoist party

NEW DELHI: Apprehending infiltration and violence along Indo-Nepal border following split in Nepal's ruling Maoists, the Centre has sounded an alert across the border with the Himalayan nation and directed security forces to intensify vigil.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the Union Home Ministry directed the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) to take all possible steps to prevent violence along the 1751 km international border and stop cross-border movement of Maoists after the split of Nepal Maoists.

A similar advisory has also been sent to bordering states -- Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim -- asking them to remain alert as armed cadres of Nepal Maoists may try to enter in their respective states.

The government has already deployed 25 battalions of SSB to tone up the security and check anti-national activities on India-Nepal border.

The SSB personnel guard 450 Border Out Posts (BOPs) along Indo-Nepal border.

Taking a hard anti-India posture, the leader of the new breakaway group, which named itself as Nepal Communist Party-Maoist, demanded scraping all the "unequal" treaties signed with India, including Nepal-India Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950.

The group also demanded withdrawal of permission to Indian companies to construct Upper Karnali and Arun Third hydropower projects as it alleged these agreements were against the Nepal's interest.