India takes up priest attack issue with Nepal

Bangalore, Sept 5 (PTI) India on Saturday said it has
taken up with Nepal the Pashupatinath temple incident in which
two Indian priests were Friday thrashed, their clothes torn
and sacred thread cut by dozens of Maoists who stormed the
temple protesting their recent appointment.

"We are in touch with the Government of Nepal," External
Affairs Minister of India S K Krishna told reporters here
on Saturday on being asked about the incident.

Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood has taken up the matter in
Kathmandu with Nepal Home Minister Bhim Bahadur Rawal and
Culture Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari who assured him that
steps will be taken to ensure safety of the priests.

"We are also in touch with the Pashupatinath Area
Development Trust and they have enhanced the security around
the temple and they have provided enough security to the
priests where they stay and where they operate," Krishna said.

After the incident, Nepal government provided a personal
security officer to the head priest of the temple and a
platoon of armed police was deployed at the shrine.

The minister said India was aware that "there is Maoist
pressure on the temple authorities to prevent the Indian
priests from conducting religious ceremonies".

Some 40-50 Maoists, posing as devotees, barged into the
5th century Hindu shrine at around 1.30 pm and broke open the
door of a room where the priests -- Girish Bhatta and
Raghavendra Bhatta -- were preparing for daily prayers.
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