World News | Palestinian Authority President Abbas Condoles Death of India's Representative Mukul Arya

Jerusalem/Ramallah, Mar 7 (PTI) Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday condoled the death of India's Representative to the State of Palestine Mukul Arya who was found dead inside the Indian mission in Ramallah on Sunday.

"We share your sadness and sorrow over the passing of Mukul Arya, representative of the Republic of India to the State of Palestine, whom we knew and our people as a dear friend, who worked with sincerity and effort to make his tasks successful," Abbas said in his condolence messages to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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"We extend to you, your government, your people, and to his family our deepest and heartfelt condolences,” he was quoted as saying by the official WAFA news agency.

It was not immediately known how the 38-year-old Indian Foreign Service officer died.

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Arya was a career diplomat who served at the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, in addition to serving at the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO in Paris and at the Embassies of India in Kabul and Moscow.

He was raised and educated in Delhi, studied Economics at Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, before joining the Indian Foreign Service in 2008, according to the website of the Representative Office of India in Ramallah, Palestine.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that he was "deeply shocked" to learn about the passing away of Arya.

"He was a bright and talented officer with so much before him. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. Om Shanti," the minister said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on Sunday said that it is conducting its official contacts with the Ministry of External Affairs to complete the arrangements for transporting the body of the deceased to India for his burial.

An autopsy was scheduled to be held on Monday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)