4 Nepal jailbreakers caught trying to cross Kali river near Uttarakhand border on tyre tubes, handed back

Pithoragarh: Four Nepal residents who escaped from prison during the recent ‘Gen Z protests' were caught by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel while trying to illegally enter India by crossing the Kali river along the border with Uttarakhand on tyre tubes. They were handed over to Nepal police after an investigation.SSB personnel noticed suspicious activity on the river at the Dhyan area in Pithoragarh on Saturday and caught the four once they reached the Indian side, said SP Rekha Yadav. They were identified as Dharmendra Chand (26), Tarkram Luhar (22), Suraj Saud (24), and Ashok Pahari (31).During interrogation, they admitted to escaping Baitadi jail in Nepal, reaching the village of Bijul, hiring tyre tubes, and paying Rs 2,000 each to cross the river to India, said the SP.Local police questioned them and informed Nepal police, who confirmed their identities and crimes. Dharmendra, Tarkram, and Suraj were convicted of rape and kidnapping and sentenced to 10 to 18 years in prison, while Ashok was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, the SP said. Police recovered two mobile phones and Rs 12,000 from them. After identification, a medical examination was conducted, and they were handed over to Nepal authorities.Following the unrest in Nepal and subsequent jailbreaks, personnel guarding the India–Nepal border and police in several states have caught over 79 people from various locations along the unfenced frontier so far.(With inputs from agencies)