Indian security team in Nepal to search 27kg uranium said to be possessed by a ‘criminal gang’

KATHMANDU, July 20: A team of Indian security personnel has arrived in  Nepal to search for uranium. A six-member team of Indian Police's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Indian intelligence agency- Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)-- has been in Nepal for a week.

According to sources, the team of Indian security personnel is searching for 27 kg of uranium said to be possessed by a ‘criminal gang’ operating across the border in Nepal. Initially, the Indian officials informed Nepal Police and the National Investigation Department that they had received information about the possession of such a large quantity of uranium in Kathmandu.

After receiving no information from the authorities, the Indian Police also informed the Intelligence Bureau of the Armed Police Force. Sources claimed that the Indian team is coordinating with Nepal's security agencies while the Intelligence Bureau of the Armed Forces is searching for possible transactions in Kathmandu.

“A team of Indian security officials came to Nepal after receiving information that a group in Nepal was going to send uranium to India. However, they have not been able to find it yet. Security officials of Nepal are also involved in the investigation,” said a highly-placed security source of Nepal.

According to the source, the Indian security personnel came to Nepal with samples of uranium that the gang offered to sell. However, Nepal Police said that they have no information regarding this. 

Nepal Police Spokesperson DIG Tek Prasad Rai said that security teams keep coming formally and informally, but they don’t have any information that Indian security personnel are here searching for uranium. "Nepal Police is not aware that Indian security officers have come to Nepal for such a task," said spokesperson Rai.

A security source claimed that the Indian security personnel had arrived in Nepal as they did not trust the Nepali security personnel and came for the covert operation themselves. 

Meanwhile, Nepali security personnel have not taken this issue positively. “It is a good thing that they shared information about the issue. However, it is not good for them to come here themselves and conduct search operations,” said a security personnel, asking not to be named.

Uranium, which is used to develop explosives, was recovered in Nepal for the first time on March 11, 2021. Uranium, which is said to cost 220 million US dollars, was seized when a man was trying to sell it. Police investigation revealed that Amber Tamang, who has a permanent home in Ramechhap, brought uranium in Nepal 20 years ago when he returned from India.