Sarlahi farmers jailed in Bihar over fertiliser transport granted bail

Two Nepali brothers, Suresh Prasad Singh, 55, and Nagendra Prasad Singh, 60, have been granted bail by a district court in Sitamarhi, Bihar, after spending over a month in an Indian prison. They were arrested on July 1 for allegedly smuggling fertilizer across the border.

The brothers were apprehended by a joint team of India's Sashastra Seema Bal and the Agriculture Department while returning to Nepal with urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP). They stated the fertilizer was intended for their own farm, citing severe shortages in Nepal during the crucial paddy planting season. Such cross-border purchases for personal use are reportedly common in the region.

Their lawyer, Sanjay Kumar Jha, explained that the release process would take approximately two days, involving court document preparation, bail paper signing by the brothers, and submission of land ownership documents by their relatives as collateral. Although granted bail, the Singh brothers must appear in the Dumra court monthly while their case proceeds.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shishir Khanal had initiated diplomatic coordination through the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi following the arrest. Abhishek Singh, Suresh's son, expressed relief but highlighted the plight of farmers facing fertilizer scarcity in Nepal. "They were jailed simply for trying to buy fertilizer, yet chemical fertilizer remains unavailable in Nepal. This is deeply unfortunate," he stated.

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It is a relief that my father and uncle have been granted bail, albeit late. They were jailed simply for trying to buy fertilizer, yet chemical fertiliser remains unavailable in Nepal. This is deeply unfortunate.