A team of Indian police personnel in civvies entered Nepal pretending to visit Gadhimai Temple and tried to arrest an Indian national in Kalaiya on Thursday.

Sources said the Indian police team comprising around eight officials reached Janaki Hall Chowk in the Bara district headquarters and went to a retail store belonging to Pappu Sah alias Mitthu, who is said to be a “most wanted” fugitive in India.

Though Pappu tried to escape upon seeing them, the plain-clothed personnel held him for a few minutes before his parents shouted for help saying that some people were trying to kidnap their son. Pappu managed to flee after local residents arrived there and rounded up the “captors”.

The Indian police produced their identity cards and explained that they were trying to arrest Pappu as he was a fugitive. They were later escorted by Nepal Police personnel who had intervened.

Nepal Police released the Indian cops after phone conversations with Indian officials at Sitamadi in India. According to the Indian police, Pappu is charged with three murders and two abductions. Police, however, said he could have been arrested had the Indian police coordinated with them.

Binod Prasad Sah, a witness, said they could not recognise the Indian personnel at first. “If they had not disclosed their identity, the situation might have become tense,” he said, adding that the locals were unaware of Pappu’s criminal background. Pappu had arrived in Kalaiya five days ago and his parents had been operating the shop for the past couple of years.

DSP Meghraj Joshi of the Armed Police Force said the Indian police entered Nepal easily due to the open border.

Matiarwa locals said the security situation in the border area has been lax in the past six months. Nepali forces stationed on the border said security meetings between officials of the two countries have not been held. Locals, however, said the APF personnel are not patrolling the border area in the manner the Indian Sashastra Seema Bal was working on the other side of the border.