Kathmandu: The Nepalese Home Ministry on Sunday warned of action against those involved in protests and burning of effigies of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kathmandu over the reported death of a Nepalese man due to drowning in the Mahakali river on the border with India.
Issuing a statement on Sunday, Joint Secretary at the Ministry Phanindra Mani Pokharel said the ministry's attention has been drawn to acts of sloganeering and rallies against the prime minister of a neighbouring country and the burning of effigies, the Setopati news site reported.
The official, without taking the name of India, said that any problem will be resolved through diplomatic channels and warned of action against those involved in such activities targeting neighbouring countries.
The student wings of CPN-UML and newly registered CPN (Unified Socialist) on Friday and Saturday demonstrated in Kathmandu against the Darchula incident and burnt effigies of the Indian prime minister.
Jaya Singh Dhami, 33, of Darchula has been missing after falling in the Mahakali river while crossing it on a tuin (ropeway) on July 30. A police complaint was lodged alleging that India’s border police, Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) cut the rope of the tuin he used to cross Mahakali to travel to the district headquarters via India to come to Kathmandu to fly abroad for employment.
The Nepalese Home Ministry formed a committee on August 1 to investigate the incident and the committee submitted its report to Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand on Tuesday stating that the incident seems to have occurred in the presence of SSB, the website said.
The report also recommended diplomatic initiatives to provide appropriate reparation and relief to the family of Jaya Singh Dhami.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, to a question on the incident on Thursday, said that “It is an allegation”, regarding the SSB.
“We have seen media reports, but we have no official details yet,” the spokesperson said. (UNI)
