Stone-pelting on Indian diplomat's car during shutdown in Nepal

Calcutta News.Net
Thursday 20th November, 2008 (IANS)

An Indian diplomat's car was pelted with stones Thursday during an anti-Maoist shutdown in Nepal's Kathmandu valley. Indian officials said that it was only a case of 'wrong timing' and there was no anti-India sentiment behind the attack.

According to official sources, Indian embassy's First Secretary S.K. Joshi was travelling to work at about 9 a.m. in his official car, a Suzuki Wagon R with diplomatic licence plates.

'About a few hundred metres from the embassy, the car had to take a turn on the route. A few miscreants standing on the sidewalk, probably did not see the Indian embassy (licence) plates and threw stones at the car,' the official said.

The diplomat was not hurt, but the vehicle was damaged and windows were smashed.

'It was only a case of a person being at the wrong place at the wrong time. There was no targeting of the official or India behind the incident,' said a diplomatic source.

India is not likely to release any statement on the event, as it is not being classified as a diplomatic incident.

The shutdown in Kathmandu valley had been called by anti-Maoist groups to protest the killing of two youths, whose bodies were found this week. The Maoist-backed Youth Communist League were accused of being behind the murders.

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