Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has been put on high alert along its 579-km open border with Nepal after violent clashes erupted across the frontier, triggering stepped-up surveillance, intelligence collection and coordinated patrolling to prevent any spillover into the state.The tightened security cover spans seven Nepal-border districts — Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj — covering 1,047 border villages. Police, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and intelligence agencies have increased vigilance at checkposts, vulnerable routes and villages along the international boundary.In Balrampur, Koilabas border crossing and 46 villages under Jarwa and Pachpedwa police station limits have been brought under enhanced monitoring. Joint teams from SSB’s 9th Battalion, local police and intelligence units are maintaining round-the-clock surveillance, conducting vehicle checks and verifying identities of people crossing over.Superintendent of police, Balrampur, Vikas Kumar said additional arrangements had been made at border outposts and along sensitive routes. He urged residents to stay alert, not to circulate rumours and to promptly inform police about any suspicious activity.Similar measures have been rolled out in other border districts. In Pilibhit, joint SSB-police patrols have been intensified in Puranpur and Madhotanda sectors, with a focus on vulnerable stretches used for cross-border movement.In Siddharthnagar, SSB’s 43rd Battalion and district police have increased patrolling at border transit points and sensitive villages, including Aligarhwa, Kakarahwa, Lotan and Khunwa, to prevent unauthorised movement.In Bahraich, district magistrate Akshay Tripathi and SP Vishwajeet Srivastava held a meeting with SSB officials and village heads in border areas to review preparedness.Senior officials at Uttar Pradesh Police Headquarters said security had been strengthened not only at designated crossings but also along forest tracks, footpaths and other vulnerable routes. Identity verification is being carried out for every traveller, and exhaustive checks are being conducted on two-wheelers, cars and commercial vehicles.Officials said cross-border movement has dropped since the violence began. Coordination between SSB and Nepal’s Armed Police Force has been enhanced for real-time information sharing.Traders in frontier markets reported a sharp fall in Nepalese visitors, leading to nearly a 50% decline in business in recent days.
