Former prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal has demanded immediate release of a Nepali youth who arrested in India while he was there for medical treatment of his mother.

The UML leader made a phone call to Nepali Ambassador to India Dip Kumar Upadhyay on Friday and urged him to take initiatives to have Udayahang Fago, 27, a resident of Suryodaya municipality-10, Ilam released, as he was innocent, according to Khanal’s personal secretary Krishna Bhattarai.

Ambassador Upadhyay said that talks were being held with the Indian central government and concerned authorities in that regard.

Khanal has also called on the Foreign Ministry to take up the matter with the concerned Indian agency for Fago’s release.

Fago was arrested by Indian police from Siliguri in West Bengal of India, where he had gone for his mother’s medical treatment at a local clinic.