Police officer attacked by firecracker smugglers in Saptari

An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was attacked by a group attempting to free an alleged firecracker smuggler in Balan Bihul Rural Municipality, Saptari district, on Saturday evening. Pradip Kumar Bist, the in-charge of the Ramnagar Kodarkatti Police Post, was assaulted after police apprehended Ramdular Yadav from Bodewarsain Municipality-3 with firecrackers smuggled from India.Saptari police stated that Yadav was arrested with approximately Rs 117,000 worth of firecrackers. The group then attacked the police to secure Yadav’s release. Yadav is currently held at the Area Police Office, Kadbona, for further investigation, according to Rupak Khadka, Superintendent of Police (SP) and chief of the District Police Office, Saptari.SP Khadka confirmed that a search is underway for Devkumar Yadav, who is accused of involvement in the incident, and other individuals. He assured that no one involved in the attack would escape justice and that police have been deployed for their identification and arrest.This is not the first such incident in the area. Last Asar (BS), Ram Kumar Yadav, the then-in-charge of the same Ramnagar Kodarkatti Police Post, was also assaulted by a smuggling group. Firecracker imports are banned in Nepal.Madhesh Province, with all eight of its districts bordering India, has become a major hub for smuggling, with goods frequently entering through illegal routes. This illicit trade is reportedly affecting the Nepal government’s revenue collection targets. Border areas in Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, and Saptari districts are often described as ‘havens’ for smugglers.Allegations suggest that smuggling operations are openly conducted with the complicity of local and provincial police and administrative officials. The open border with India, illegal excavation, and smuggling are also cited as major factors contributing to a rise in drug abuse among youth in Madhesh Province. The nature of crime in the province is evolving, leading to increased insecurity in traditional communities.In the fiscal year 2082/83 (BS), the Armed Police Force seized illegal goods worth over Rs 752.8 million from the eight districts of Madhesh Province. In the last three months alone (Asar to Bhadra 2083 BS), the Armed Police Force, Nepal, recovered illegal goods valued at more than Rs 278.5 million from the province.The nationality of Devkumar Yadav and other individuals involved in the attack is not yet known. The exact number of attackers and their detailed identities also remain unconfirmed. Further details regarding the extent of ASI Pradip Kumar Bist’s injuries were not immediately available. The nationality of Ramdular Yadav, the alleged firecracker smuggler, has not been disclosed. It is also unclear if anyone else was injured in the incident or if police used force, such as firing warning shots.