Prime Minister Pushpa Dahal has expressed his commitment to punish the guilty of Kanchanpur incident in which a Nepali man died in an alleged firing by India’s Seema Sashastra Bal (SSB) on Thursday.

PM Dahal said so while receiving a memorandum from CPN (Maoist Centre) seeking justice to the victim of Kanchanpur incident, Govinda Gautam, on Friday. PM Dahal chairs the party.

“Nepal is a free and sovereign nation. We do not tolerate any intervention and attack to our self respect,” said PM Dahal, adding that a serious enquiry would be conducted on the matter and guilty would be punished.

PM Dahal said that government has initiated a process to declare Gautam as a martyr. He further said that government would compensate the victim’s family with Rs one million and fund the education of his two children. “Government is not only serious about the Kanchanpur incident but also sensitive,” said PM Dahal.

Saying that government has taken the Kanchanpur incident as a sensitive matter, PM Dahal explained that officials from Indian Embassy were immediately summoned after the incident and were instructed to conduct an investigation and initiate the process for necessary action.

According to PM, Foreign Ministry has been continuously communicating with India through diplomatic channels. Meanwhile, DPM Bimalendra Nidhi is scheduled to address the House today.