Sniffer dogs deployed at Jamuna border crossing, border security tightened
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Since the new customs policy has made it mandatory to pay revenue on goods worth more than Rs 100, disputes have been happening almost daily at the main border checkpoints. Occasionally, disputes and clashes have also arisen between locals and the police.
In order to implement the system of levying customs duty on goods worth more than Rs 100 under the government's 100-day agenda, the Armed Police Force, Nepal No. 30 Battalion Headquarters, Bageshwori, Banke, is tightening the security at the Jamuna border checkpoint.
The battalion has said that three out of five people who behaved rudely and aggressively towards the Armed Police Force personnel deployed on duty while controlling goods illegally entering and leaving the border area have been taken into custody.
According to the battalion, Sanjay Lodh, a resident of Janaki Rural Municipality-1, Tohit Alam Kawadiya, and Guddu Siddiqui, 26, of Shravasti Bhinga, Uttar Pradesh, India, have been taken into custody on charges of obstructing and abusing the Armed Police Force personnel deployed on border security duty in Baisakh.
They have been handed over to the District Police Office, Banke for necessary action, the Armed Police Force said.
Meanwhile, the police are searching for Shakil Kawadiya and Rajkumar Lodh of Janaki Rural Municipality-1 on charges of involvement in the incident.
The Armed Police Force has deployed sniffer dogs at Jamuna border crossing and tightened border security to further strengthen the illegal smuggling and import control campaign in the border area.
The Armed Police Force, Nepal, on Friday deployed trained sniffer (K9) dogs to make border security and checks more effective at Jamuna, the main Nepal-India border crossing in Banke district.
According to the Armed Police Force Nepal No. 30 Battalion, the deployed dogs will help in checking weapons, explosives and drugs. 
Meanwhile, the Indian Rupaidiha Industry and Trade Delegation has drawn the attention of the Bahraich District Administration of India, saying that the new customs policy implemented by the government has seriously affected trade in the border area. The board submitted a memorandum to the district officer, stating that there has been trade tension in the border area, problems of locals and impact on revenue.
The memorandum states that traders in the border market of Rupaidiha and surrounding areas have been affected after the Nepal government made customs duty mandatory on goods worth more than Rs 100. Traders say that the prices of goods like food, oil, medicines and clothes have increased after the duty on daily necessities increased from 5 percent to 80 percent.
According to the trade delegation, the turnover of Indian traders has decreased by 50 to 75 percent after the new policy. It is stated that the reduced movement of customers in the border area has affected not only trade but also local life.
The memorandum states that India has been providing various trade concessions and 'duty free' facilities to Nepal, and claims that the government's latest policy has directly affected Indian small traders. In addition, traders have said that a tense situation has been created after Nepal's security agencies tightened their grip on the border.
The Rupaidiha Industry and Trade Delegation has urged the Indian administration to coordinate with the Nepal government to take the initiative to resolve the problem. Traders say that dialogue between the bodies of both countries is necessary to maintain the old trade and social relations in the border area.
With the decrease in activity at the border, the income of small businessmen, rickshaw drivers and hoteliers dependent there has also been affected.
The Rupaidiha market has become deserted after the government banned the import of goods worth more than Rs 100 from across the border without paying customs duties. The crowd there has decreased after the rules on paying customs duties were tightened when buying and bringing goods to the Rupaidiha market, which was popular with Nepali consumers. The distance from Jamunaha border in Nepalgunj to the traffic intersection is about 3 kilometers.
