The number of Nepal jail escapees who attempted to enter India but were apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the border has risen to 75, sources said on Saturday.
They were caught along the Indo-Nepal border in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
So far, eight escapees have been apprehended in Uttarakhand, 22 in Uttar Pradesh, 43 in Bihar, and two in West Bengal while trying to sneak into India through different checkpoints.
The inmates, who fled Nepalese prisons during recent unrest in the neighboring country, have been handed over to local police by the SSB for further legal action.
The frontier force SSB, responsible for guarding the Indo-Nepal open border, has heightened vigilance at border points.
Following reports of prison breaks in Nepal during violent protests, the force has been on high alert, keeping a close watch on those entering India from Nepal.
Strict identity checks are being carried out, suspects are being thoroughly scrutinized, and patrolling has been intensified by the border-guarding force.