Stone pelting on India-Nepal border, traders block bridge in protest

PITHORAGARH (Uttarakhand): Traders here on Monday blocked a border bridge with Nepal for two hours to protest against stone pelting from the neighbouring country on workers building a wall along the Kali river on the Indian side, an official said.

One of the workers was injured on Sunday as local people hurled stones from the other side of the river which falls in Nepal, Dharchula SDM Divesh Shasni said on Monday.

He said as the authorities in Darchula in the neighbouring country resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob hurling stones at the construction workers, an Indian trader, who was there on some personal work, was injured.

The Nepalese people living near the border have been opposing the construction of the wall along the Kali river as they fear it will cause floods in their area.

The bridge between India and Nepal was closed from 7 am to 9 am and the blockade was lifted only after assurances from the Nepalese authorities that action would be taken against those responsible within three days.

"The bridge was opened only after the chief district officer of Darchula (Nepal) contacted the Indian authorities and the SDM of Dharchula (India) and promised to take action against the stone pelters and the lathicharge on the Indian trader," said Bhupendra Singh Thapa, president of the traders association of Dharchula.

Thapa warned of resuming the blockade if action is not taken as promised.

"We have talked with the Nepalese authorities regarding the stone hurling incident and they have assured us to act against such elements who are polluting the atmosphere of cordiality between the two countries," the Dharchula SDM said.