15,000 Nepalis returning home from India daily from Jamunaha

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, Sept. 25: With the beginning of the great Hindu festival of Dashain, the number of Nepalis who had gone to India for employment returning home via the Jamunaha border checkpoint here has increased significantly.

According to the Area Police Office Jamunaha, until a few days ago, 2000, to 5,000 Nepalis were returning home via this border checkpoint daily, but now around 15,000 are returning daily.

Stating that the number of people returning to Nepal to celebrate Dashain has increased significantly since Ghatasthapana, the office has said that around 15,000 Nepalis are now returning daily.

As Nepalis who have gone to India for employment have started coming home significantly, there is now a rush of people coming from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, said Police Inspector Upendra Bahadur Budhathoki, in-charge of the Area Police Office Jamunaha.

He also said that everyone is trying to reach home as soon as possible as Dashain is only a few days away.

According to the data of the District Police Office, as of Wednesday, a total of 70,787 Nepalis have returned home, among them 26,628 were men, 24,034 were women and 20,125 were children. 

Although around 3,000 to 4,000 returned daily at the beginning of the month, around 15,000 are currently returning daily. The police estimate that this trend will continue and that up to 20,000 Nepalis will return home daily a day or two before Dashain.

The crowd at the border crossing has increased as people who have gone to various big cities in India for employment from various districts of western Nepal are now returning home in droves. The Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force have said that they have made the movement of Nepalis coming from India to celebrate Dashain and Tihar easier at the Jamunaha border crossing. 

The police have said that surveillance has been tightened after complaints were received that Nepalis returning home were cheated by rickshaws, e-rickshaws, buses, taxis and hotel operators.

It is said that the trend of Nepalis returning home for the festivals will continue during Dashain and beyond. As Dashain and Tihar approach, the number of people returning from India will also increase.