MEA Intervenes After Russian Consulate Car Stopped in Kolkata
The Russian Consulate General in Kolkata has formally protested after its diplomatic vehicle was stopped and subjected to attempted police inspections on two separate occasions this week. The incidents occurred on April 14 at the intersection of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road and Rash Behari Avenue, and again on April 16 at the Chetla Road-Kalighat Road crossing. Despite displaying diplomatic status, law enforcement personnel allegedly attempted to forcefully inspect the vehicle, bearing license plate 15-CC-2856. The Consulate described these actions as a violation of the Vienna Convention, which grants immunity from search to diplomatic vehicles, and urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take action. In response, the MEA’s Kolkata Branch Secretariat escalated the matter to the West Bengal state government. On April 17, IAS Avadh Singhal, OSD and Under Secretary, issued an official communication to top police, traffic, and security officials. Consequently, the Joint Commissioner of Police Headquarters instructed authorities that vehicles belonging to the Consulate General must not be checked, aiming to prevent further breaches of diplomatic protocol during election-time security checks.
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MEA Intervenes After Russian Consulate Car Stopped in Kolkata
The Russian Consulate General in Kolkata has formally protested after its diplomatic vehicle was stopped and subjected to attempted police inspections on two separate occasions this week. The incidents occurred on April 14 at the intersection of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road and Rash Behari Avenue, and again on April 16 at the Chetla Road-Kalighat Road crossing. Despite displaying diplomatic status, law enforcement personnel allegedly attempted to forcefully inspect the vehicle, bearing license plate 15-CC-2856. The Consulate described these actions as a violation of the Vienna Convention, which grants immunity from search to diplomatic vehicles, and urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take action. In response, the MEA’s Kolkata Branch Secretariat escalated the matter to the West Bengal state government. On April 17, IAS Avadh Singhal, OSD and Under Secretary, issued an official communication to top police, traffic, and security officials. Consequently, the Joint Commissioner of Police Headquarters instructed authorities that vehicles belonging to the Consulate General must not be checked, aiming to prevent further breaches of diplomatic protocol during election-time security checks.
The Indian Express