Expressing grief over the death of a Nepali man in firing by Indian security personnel in Kanchanpur district, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured to conduct a fair and impartial inquiry into the incident.

Gobinda Gautam of Ananda Bazaar, Punarbas Municipality-8 in Kanchanpur district, was killed when India’s Seema Sashastra Bal (SSB) allegedly opened fire on locals at Nepal-India border on March 9 following a row over the construction of a culvert at the border.

Singh made such remark in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi, who is currently in New Delhi to participate in the counter-terrorism conference.

During the meeting, Minister Nidhi said to his counterpart that India must regret the Kanchanpur incident.

After the meeting, Nidhi said Rajnath Singh expressed regrets over the death of Gautam in Kanchanpur.

However, a statement issued by the Public Information Bureau (PIB) of India does not suggest so.

“In the meeting, Rajnath Singhji expressed the regret over the killing of Nepali citizen,” Nidhi told the Post after the meeting.

According to PIB, Singh also expressed his grief on the death of a Nepali man at the Indio-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh.

 “He stated that India will carry out a fair and impartial inquiry into the incident and associate the Nepali counterparts to bring out truth,” the PIB said.

Home Minister Nidhi also handed over post-mortem and forensic reports of Gautam to Indian side to facilitate investigation.

Indian Home Minister also proposed signing the strip maps which have been finalised.

Nepali side, however, is saying that this should be done only after settling the dispute in Susta and Kalapani.  “Singh said that wherever strip maps have been finalised, the same should be signed by the concerned authorities at the earliest,” the PIB said. 

Singer further said that any incident taking place unknowingly, should be settled through joint inspection and investigation by the representatives of two sides.

The Indian side has asked for regular meetings between DG, SSB and Nepali counterpart agency Armed Police Force (AFP) which has not taken place since three years. “I will take initiatives to hold regular meetings,” Nidhi told Post.

Nidhi also meet Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and raised the Kanchanpur incident and other bilateral issues.