Dhangadhi, Mar. 31:Ordinary folk living in villages near the Nepal-India border here are being harassed and victimized by Indian border police and forest officials who mete out excesses to them from time to time.

Twelve persons including Khunthuram Chaudhari of Shivaratnapur, Hasuliya VDC-5 were detained at Ghusrakoti forest office in Chandanchauki of India by Indian forest officials on the charge of killing wild boar.

Hasuliya village is located near the Nepal-India border, and the incident took place some two months ago.

The 12 arrested by the Indian officials have accused the Indians of perpetrating atrocities and physical assault on them.

They complain that they were arrested under false charges and incarcerated without their having done anything wrong or violated forest rules.

The 12 villagers were released by the Indian forest officials under the supervision of VDC chairman Hom Bahadur Gurung after payment of fines of Indian Rs. 40,000 each.

People returning home after shopping in Chandanchauki, a local marketplace on the Indian side of the border, are likewise harassed by Indian border police who demand money from them.

According to the locals, people not complying with their demands are physically and verbally abused, intimidated, harassed and sometimes arrested for nothing.

Mayaram Chaudhari, a resident of Hasuliya VDC-4, Mohanpur village who was returning home from the Indian town after purchasing tires for his bullockcart was forced to cough up Indian rupees 5,000.

Local people likewise complain that the Indian border police and forest guards also conduct raids on their homes and intimidate herders from the village tending cattle in the forests.

The locals have demanded immediate steps to stop such excesses and mistreatment of Nepalese at the hands of the Indian border police and   forest officials.