Nepalgunj, January 12:

Office-bearers of the Judicial Probe Commission (JPC) formed to investigate December 25 Nepalgunj riots told the media today that the Home Ministry had called back chief district officer and heads of the security organs from Nepalgunj to let the commission do its work smoothly.

Chief District Officer of Banke Tilak Ram Sharma, chief of the zonal police office Bheri senior superintendent of police Rajendra Singh Bhandari, head of the Banke district police office superintendent of police Ramesh Bhattarai had gone to Kathmandu on January 3 after they were summoned by the Home Ministry.

A team had arrived here on January 1 and started its investigation from January 2.

A member of the probe commission, Drona Raj Regmi, said: “As the officials are among the accused in the incident, investigation cannot proceed smoothly in their presence.”

The commission is collecting information. The team has visited the site, assessed the damage, met leaders of political parties, members of the civic society and victims,” said the chairman of the commission, Purishottam Parajuli. The commission is meeting the bereaved family, collecting post-mortem reports, taking statements of the injured.”

Another member of the commission Sukhchandra Jha said other people, who were present at the site, can also provide factual information.

One person had died and tens of millions of rupees were damaged in the Madhesh Bandh in Nepalgunj on December 25.

The Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi) had organised the bandh.

The media persons had told the commission that they even stopped circulating newspapers for four days due to tense situation in Nepalgunj.