High alert along India-Nepal border in view of Pahalgam terror attack

LUCKNOW: In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, a high alert has been sounded across all seven Uttar Pradesh districts bordering Nepal — Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, and Maharajganj.
Security forces have stepped up patrolling, surveillance and intelligence gathering along the 600km international border amid fears of infiltration or cross-border movement by anti-national elements.
District police, in coordination with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), has launched intensified joint operations, including vehicle checks, foot patrols, and flag marches in border villages, forest routes and other vulnerable points.
In Balrampur, a joint team of Jarwa Police Station and SSB conducted a coordinated foot patrol under the leadership of circle officer Tulshipur Brijnandan Rai and SSB assistant commandant Sujit Kumar. The teams carried out detailed checks of vehicles and individuals, especially in forested areas and remote trails. Local residents in border villages were also sensitised on identifying suspicious activities and reporting them promptly.
"To prevent cross-border crimes like drug smuggling, human and cattle trafficking, and illegal logging, we are involving Gram Suraksha Samitis and educating the public about timely information sharing. Public cooperation is crucial to ensure security," said SP Balrampur, Vikash Kumar.
Similar security operations were carried out in Shravasti, where a joint patrol was launched in Ghodaudaria village under Hariharpur Rani block by Asanharia outpost in-charges Raj Kapoor and Narendra Pati Tripathi along with SSB personnel. The team monitored movements in the area and interacted with villagers, urging them to remain vigilant.
Meanwhile, flag marches were conducted by SSB and local police in several districts, including Bahraich, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, and Pilibhit as a show of reassurance to the public.
The heightened security measures followed a directive issued by UP DGP Prashant Kumar on April 22, instructing all district police chiefs, commissioners, and range officers — especially in districts sharing borders with other states or countries — to implement a multi-layered security protocol with immediate effect.