The royal coup in Nepal is turning out to be a security nightmare for New Delhi with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), responsible for the 1,754 km-long border, confirming that at least 40 Maoists have crossed into India. SSB Director General Himanshu Kumar told The Indian Express: ‘‘We are concerned at the prospect of Nepal Maoists crossing into Indian territory. Interception can only be possible on the basis of specific intelligence. I suspect that the Maoists are heading for safer sanctuaries in Uttaranchal, Bihar and Jharkhand.’’ Maoists Ishwari Khareli, Balram Adhikari, Guru Baral and Raushan Khadki are among the important Left wing extremists who have slipped out of Nepal ever since King Gyanendra’s government ordered its Army to crack down on the rebels. Security agencies have sent their list of 40 Maoists to the Union Home Ministry. ‘‘It’s a matter of time before the trickle turns into a tide,’’ admitted a senior police official who has been keeping track of Maoists moving out of Nepal. The whereabouts of top Maoist leader Prachanda are not known but there are reports that he has already moved out of Nepal. Besides the Maoists, at least 28 political activists of the Nepali Congress, Sadbhavana Party and Communist Party of Nepal (UML) have also sought sanctuary in India. Fearing arrest at home, the politicians have sought refuge in Uttaranchal, Bihar and Siliguri in West Bengal. According to a list prepared by the SSB, those who have crossed over to India include Nepalese Congress Party (NCP) former education minister Dilendra Baru, former MP Smriti Narayan Choudhary, NCP chief whip Vinaydhawaj Chand, Lokendra Lamsal of Jan Morcha, former Law minister Mahoto Thakur, Ishwar Kharel of CPN (UML), Bharat Bimal of Sadhbhavna Party and Ajay Chaurasia. According to Himanshu Kumar, traffic from Nepal was high on February 1, 2 and 3—the King seized control on February 1—but reduced after February 4 because of the transport strike called by Maoists in Nepal. He named hotspots along the border: Ilam, Jhapa, Moran, Kishanjung, Pithoragadh, Baitadi, Champawat, Banke, Dang Rupandehi and Rautahat. While New Delhi wants the King to restore democracy in Nepal, it does not, at the same time, want to give sanctuary to Maoists. This is because of the growing ties between the Nepal Maoists and their counterparts in India, all the way from Bihar to Andhra Pradesh. New Delhi fears that this could lead to a serious internal security situation at home. In fact, the Government wants Kathmandu to take proactive action against Left wing extremists. The Maoist call for a countrywide indefinite blockade of Nepal on February 13—it will be the first test between Prachanda’s men and the King’s government—is also causing worry in New Delhi. Officials in New Delhi said that, given the deep cooperation between the two countries, India will provide help to the Nepalese people in case the blockade leads to a commodity shortage there.
