Dhangadhi, September 8:

The Seti-Mahakali high-level land investigation committee formed by the Maoists has announced that land seized by the Maoists from 36 persons in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts will be returned to them.

Chief of the Kailali Peoples’ Government, Laxman Chaudhari (Roshan) announced this at a press conference here today.

The Maoists have already returned the land belonging to a member of parliament and Nepali Congress central member Binaya Dhwoj Chand.

The Maoists have embarked on a process of returning land in phases to the displaced after investigation. The 36 persons hail from Urma, Gadariya, Basauti, Darakh and Hasuliya VDCs of Kailali and Kanchanpur.

Of the 36, Bal Bahadur Thapa, Pramod Pathak, Nandaraj Upadhaya, Kedarman Rajbahak and Om Prakash Bhandari have already got back their lands.

Speaking at the press meet, Kailali Maoist in-charge Akhanda said that over 10 bighas of land of NC leader Binaya Dhwoj Chand were returned at the special request of the seven political parties.

Akhanda said that land ranging from 10 katthas to 10 bighas was returned to those who had applied for it. Some 94 persons applied to the Maoists’ investigation committee, asking for the return of their land, said Roshan who is also the coordinator of the committee.

Sources, however, said a total of 176 applications were filed with INSEC’s regional office and that 136 persons belonging to the Nepali Congress were seeking the return of their land.

Meanwhile, Roshan said that the panel has decided to seize the land of one Nirmal Shrestha of Joshipur. He claimed that Shrestha had fraudulently registered in his name the land that was being used by 35 squatters.