India launches inquiry into death of Nepalese man in border clash

India on Friday launched an inquiry into the death of a Nepalese citizen during a clash on the border after Kathmandu said the man was killed in firing by Indian security forces, with top Indian leaders intervening to defuse tensions.

Local residents said Govinda Gautam, 20, of Kanchanpur district in southwestern Nepal, was hit by shots allegedly fired by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel on Thursday after a dispute over the construction of a culvert by Nepalese authorities.

Indian officials said 36 people, including nine SSB personnel, were injured when Nepalese citizens pelted stones at them.

Movement across the border was suspended after the incident.

Gautam's death created tension in Kanchanpur and hundreds of people protested outside the hospital where his body was kept. Armed police contingents were deployed by Nepalese authorities to control the situation.

After Nepal's foreign ministry condemned the "killing of an innocent Nepali national.due to fire opened by the Indian security forces", India's external affairs ministry said the SSB had launched an inquiry. Earlier, the Indian embassy in Kathmandu had denied any firing by SSB



personnel.

Nepal's foreign secretary Shanker Das Bairagi summoned India's deputy chief of mission, Vinay Kumar, and handed over a "diplomatic note" that sought a probe. The Nepali side asked India to "stop such inimical activates".

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval spoke to Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed sorrow over the incident.

Doval told Pracahanda that India will extend all possible cooperation and requested Nepalese authorities to provide the autopsy report and other information on the incident, an official statement said. Prachanda said he hoped India would take stern action against the guilty after a probe.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, "The government of Nepal is being requested through diplomatic channels to share post-mortem and forensic reports to facilitate the process."

Local officials from both sides held a meeting and "agreed to maintain peace and order", he said.

Nepal's foreign minister Prakash Sharan Mahat too discussed the incident with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj during a phone call.