Nepalgunj, January 1:

A meeting of representatives of the civil society and local human rights organisations has formed a civic probe committee to investigate last week’s violent unrest in Nepalgunj.

The panel led by Shalikram Sapkota was formed with an aim to carry out independent probe into riots and arson.

The committee will submit its report within 15 days.

Members of the committee are Ganesh Regmi of the Human Rights Organisation, CP Singh of Human Rights Conservation Forum, Sukailal Barma of Appellate Court, Bishnu Pokhrel of Human Rights and Social Transformation Campaign, M Harun of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, assistant lecturer of the Mahendra Multiple Campus Rabindra Karna.

Advocate Rajendra Sharma is the secretary of the committee.

Meanwhile, CPN-Maoist has urged people in Nepalgunj to abandon the feeling of revenge in order to maintain harmonious relations.

At a programme organised by the Maoists, Bheri-Karnali in-charge Suresh Singh said his party would move ahead in close coordination with parties and civil society. Banke in-charge Athak said the Maoists “are striving to punish the guilty in the Nepalgunj incident and provide compensation to the victims”.