India's representative to Palestine, Mukul Arya, was found dead inside the Indian Mission in Ramallah on Sunday, 6 March. The reason for his death was not immediately known.
"Deeply shocked to learn about the passing away of India's Representative at Ramallah, Shri Mukul 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," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.
The Palestinian foreign ministry also expressed shock at his sudden demise and issued a statement, saying:
"As soon as this painful news arrived, immediate instructions were issued from President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh to all the security, police and public authorities, in addition to the Ministry of Health and Forensic Medicine, to immediately move to the place of residence of the Indian ambassador to closely monitor the case of death."
"All parties are fully prepared to do what is required of them in such difficult and emergency circumstances. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants expresses its deep sadness, loss and pain at the death of Ambassador Arya," it further said.
The ministry said it was in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs in India to complete all the formalities to transport Arya's body back to India.
Arya, a 2008-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, had earlier served in the Indian embassies in Kabul, Moscow and had also worked at the MEA headquarters in Delhi. He had also served at India's Permanent Delegation to the UNESCO in Paris.
Before joining the Indian Foreign Service, Arya had studied economics at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University.
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