And in yet another effort to address the security concerns of the diplomatic community, the government has directed its security agencies to pay special attention to the security of diplomats. [break]
“The chief district officer of Solukhumbu has been directed to investigate the incident, minutely study those involved and submit a report to the ministry,” Spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs Jaya Mukunda Khanal said in a statement on Monday.
The ministry directed the investigation Monday, 15 days after it formally regretted the incident following New Delhi´s official displeasure. New Delhi last week termed the ministry´s regret over the October 10 incident as being “insufficient” and called Nepali ambassador Rukma Sumsher Rana to South Block to express its displeasure.
Earlier, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had directed the ministry to investigate the incident. Ambassador Sood had met Home Secretary Dr Govind Prasad Kusum at the ministry a few hours before the ministry issued its statement.
Irate Maoist cadres led by Maoist Constituent Assembly member and former minister Gopal Kiranti had greeted Sood with shoes when the Indian envoy reached Solukhumbu to inaugurate India-funded drinking water projects and an eye camp.
Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Ministry of Home Affairs told Republica that the incident took place although both security agencies and the Indian embassy had known in advance that the UCPN (Maoist) was likely to stage unpleasant incidents targeted at the Indian ambassador´s visit.
“The incident could have been averted,” said an official at the Home Ministry.
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