Bangla mission vandalism: India's envoy called, services suspended

A DAY AFTER some protesters breached security barricades at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala and vandalised the property, Bangladesh summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma to the foreign affairs ministry in Dhaka on Tuesday.

- SHUBHAJIT ROY & DEBRAJ DEB New Delhi/Agartala,

In Agartala, the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission suspended all its visa and consular services "until further notice", citing a "security situation", even as seven persons allegedly involved in the incident were arrested.

The incident occurred during a protest against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh. Three police personnel posted at the Assistant High Commission premises in Agartala have been suspended and departmental proceedings initiated for alleged negligence in duty.

A PTI report from Dhaka quoted a Bangladesh foreign ministry as saying that "he (Verma) came as he was asked to come when we conveyed him our concerns." Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain had earlier said the Indian envoy was asked to come to the foreign office after the Agartala incident.