KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sunday sent a diplomatic note to the Indian government through the Embassy of India in Kathmandu regarding the death of a nine-year-old child in Vyas Rural Municipality of Darchula district.
Pawan Mahara was killed on Friday after a stone that flew from a blast carried out on the Indian side of the border hit him. Mahara is from Dumling in Vyas-2.
Though the Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send the diplomatic note on Saturday itself, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent the note only on Sunday. Home ministry officials alleged that the foreign ministry officials didn’t feel it necessary to summon the Indian ambassador and seek more details about the incident.
According to foreign ministry officials, the foreign ministry has urged for sufficient cooperation while building infrastructure in border areas and taking extra precautions in the future, while also seeking proper compensation for the family of the deceased.
Indian company Garg and Garg, which is undertaking the road project, has already accepted its mistake. In a meeting with the local administration of Darchula, the company pledged to provide one million Indian rupees as compensation to the family of the deceased and provide free education to the injured.
As per international practice, one side has to inform the other side across the border if it is detonating explosives or performing similar works in the border areas. But the Indian contractor was building roads without informing Nepali authorities.