Nepal assures safety for Indian priests

KATHMANDU - Nepal Government on Saturday assured the visiting Indian Foreign Minister S M Kridhna that the safety of Indian priests at the Pashupatinath Temple will be taken care.

Krishna who is on a three day official tour to Nepal visited the Pashupatinath Temple complex on Saturday morning.

Interacting with the media, Krishna said the Nepal leaders have assured him of safety of Indian priests and pilgrims.

“The safety and security of the Indian citizens who come here as pilgrims is an abiding core concern of the government of India. During my meeting with the senior leaders in government, they have reassured the safety, they have reassured the safety of Indian priests and we would like to continue this tradition,” said Krishna.

Krishna added that he interacted with the two Indian priests who were beaten up recently and assured them their safety.

“Yes, well they say that they were protected and they have been treated well. And they feel quite comfortable here. And the head priest said that even though it is about a year since he resigned he has not been able to go back because people want him here. I think this is an assured sign that things are improving and well let us all continue it. They are supremely safe,” added Krishna.

Earlier in September, two Indian priests -Girish Bhatt and Raghavendra Bhatt belonging to Karnataka - were severely thrashed and their clothes and sacred thread were cut by dozens of Maoists in Kathmandu.

The attack had badly injured the priests.

The two priests had arrived in Nepal to continue the 800-year-old tradition at the revered temple of employing priests only from southern India. (ANI)