With Nepal gripped by violent protests and political unrest, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday reached Panitanki in Darjeeling to assess conditions at the border.
Bose was accompanied by his wife Lakshmi Ananda Bose, ADC Rahul Pandey, OSD Sreekumar Bandopadhyay, PSO Rakesh Pandey and attendants Abhijit Thakur and Amitabh Basu. Administrative sources confirmed that the Governor will submit a detailed report to the Ministry of External Affairs after his visit. “I have come on a routine visit. I will talk to the people here,” Bose said during his brief interaction at Panitanki.
The border has been placed on high alert since Monday afternoon, with the SSB enforcing strict checks and barring crossings without identity cards. On the other side, the Nepali army is also on alert. Senior officers including ADG (Counter Insurgency Force) Ajay Nanda, DIG (SSB) Manjit Singh and Darjeeling SP Praveen Prakash visited Panitanki on Wednesday to review the situation, while North Bengal IG Rajesh Kumar Yadav is monitoring developments closely.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently touring North Bengal, also kept watch over the unfolding events. Reports say she stayed up late on Tuesday night at administrative building in Siliguri Uttarkanya to oversee the situation. Speaking to media, Mamata remarked, “If our neighbours are good, we will also be good. No one should get involved in unrest. The Centre will say whatever it wants to say about Nepal. We love our neighbouring country Nepal.” She added that the state government would take necessary action if any instructions were issued by the Centre.
The unrest has forced many Indians to return home in fear, with some even travelling back in water tankers. Movement of goods trucks has been suspended as protesters set vehicles on fire and blocked roads at the Kakarvita and Biratnagar borders, leaving hundreds of trucks stranded. Shops in Panitanki have also downed shutters. The crisis has particularly hit thousands of goldsmiths in West Midnapore, who regularly travel to Nepal for work. The Ghatal–Nepal bus service has been suspended, leaving many artisans stranded across the border.
In Kathmandu, the situation showed slight improvement on Wednesday, though smoke from burnt houses and vehicles still filled the air. The Nepalese army has imposed a curfew until Thursday morning and arrested several people in connection with the violence. Authorities have also appealed to protesters to return looted firearms.
Despite the turbulence, administrative observers have described Bengal Governor’s inspection of the India-Nepal border as a significant step in monitoring the crisis and its impact on India.
Also read: Mamata assures safe return of Indians stranded in Nepal
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