NSA Doval calls Nepal PM; condoles death of Nepalese youth

Kathmandu: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday telephoned Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda and condoled the death of a Nepalese man in alleged firing by the Sashastra Seema Bal and promised a probe into the incident.

Doval, who made the phone call to Prachanda on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Indian authorities have initiated a probe into the killing of Govinda Gautam.

Doval conveyed Modi's grief over the death and expressed condolences to the bereaved family, a statement issued by the Nepalese Prime Minister's Secretariat said.

Prachanda, expressing Nepal's readiness to provide the required support for the investigation, said the Kanchanpur incident was "very serious".

He expressed hope that the guilty would be booked after necessary investigation.

The deceased has been declared as a martyr by the Nepal government.

In Kathmandu, Charge d' Affaires at Indian Embassy Vinay Kumar today called on Nepal's Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi and condoled the death.

Kumar informed Bairagi that an enquiry has been initiated by India into the incident.

District authorities should maintain close and regular contacts and ensure law and order in the area, the envoy said.

India has sought from Nepal the post-mortem and forensic reports of the Nepalese national allegedly killed in firing by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along the border yesterday, an incident that triggered protests in Nepal.

Nepal government has declared Gautam as a martyr, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi.

Along with martyr's status, the government will provide Rs one million compensation to the next of the kin of the victim and fund the education of his children, said Nidhi while addressing the Legislature-Parliament meeting today.