KATHMANDU: India stepped up pressure on Nepal’s King Gyanendra on Wednesday to restore democracy, sending a special envoy and its top diplomat to hold talks with the monarch to try to defuse a fortnight of crippling protests.

A woman hit on the face by a tear gas shell during a protest died on Tuesday, taking the death toll in the campaign to six. Hundreds have been wounded in police action against protesters and hundreds of others arrested.

The anti-monarchy campaign by a seven-party alliance has brought the kingdom to a standstill with nationwide street protests and a general strike, which has stopped the movement of food and fuel. India has expressed worry because of the long, porous border it shares with Nepal.

“I bring prayers and hope that Nepal will get out of the present difficult situation and return to peace and prosperity,” the Indian envoy, Karan Singh, told reporters at Kathmandu’s airport.

Earlier, Singh told an Indian TV channel: “It is not our intention to interfere in the internal affairs of another country but the last thing that we would want is for Nepal to dissolve into chaos because India’s vital security interests are involved.

“Our human interests are involved. There’s an open border between Nepal and India and our commitment to parliamentary democracy is there.”

Singh is the scion of the royal family of Kashmir and is related to King Gyanendra by marriage. He was to meet political representatives later in the week.—Reuters