NEW DELHI (Sputnik) – As many as 9 members of the Indian Armed Border Force (SSB) are being held hostage in a Nepalese village near the border between the two countries, Indian Home Ministry sources told Sputnik on Sunday.
Senior SBB officials have been rushed to the Kishanganj border district of the Indian state of Bihar to address the situation.
India-Nepal relations have been strained in recent months after the protests by the Nepalese Madhesi ethnic community, who are against the new constitution of the country. The Madhesi community, which has cultural ties with India, has been blocking the border crossings with India. Nepal blames India for supporting the Madhesis, a claim New Delhi denied repeatedly. India has restricted supplies to Nepal amid the situation.
