Nepalgunj, April 4:

Some 65 businessmen and industrialists of Nepalgunj, who were arrested while attempting to gherao the Inland Revenue Office (IRO) this morning, were released at 7:30 pm today, Banke DSP Pramod Kharel said.

The businessmen were seeking appropriate compensation for the victims of the Nepalgunj riots and action against the guilty. One person was killed while property worth millions of rupees was damaged during the riots that took place from December 25 to 28 last year.

The 65 businessmen, including chairman of the Nepalgunj Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Damodar Acharya, were kept in custody all day, spokesperson for the Nepalgunj CCI Kapil Adhikari said.

Nepalgunj CCI, after an emergency meeting, decided to close down the Nepalgunj bazaar to protest the arrests, Adhikari added. The town remained tense after the arrests. Local businessmen also staged a sit-in at the IRO afterwards. The Banke district police office (DPO) said the businessmen were arrested for hindering the functioning of the IRO.

Initiatives to provide compensation to the victims of the Nepalgunj riots will soon be taken and the report of the judicial probe commission will also be made public shortly, DSP Kharel said.