Kathmandu, March 2

Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office, Rani Pokhari, has formed a three-member probe committee to investigate an attack on the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Co-chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Twenty-two-year-old Ratan Tiruwa had yesterday hurled a shoe at Dahal during a public function at Rastriya Sabha Griha. Tiruwa was immediately arrested and held at the nearby Metropolitan Police Circle, Singhadurbar, for further investigation.

The probe committee is led by Senior Superintendent of Police Sahakul Bahadur Thapa, head of Metropolitan Crime Division, Teku. The crime division is responsible for investigating serious criminal cases taking place in the valley. Appointment of Thapa as coordinator of the probe committee suggests that the police have taken the case seriously.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati, who is also a member of the probe committee, said they had started recording the statement of the perpetrator. The committee is likely to submit its report in a few days as the commissioner’s office has sought a report in the next three days.

Tiruwa, who is facing a charge of public offence, was remanded to seven days custody by the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, today for further investigation.

Tiruwa later told police that he threw shoe at Dahal after he lost control over himself upon hearing Dahal’s speech about class struggle. Dahal was addressing a programme held to mark the first memorial of Bharat Mohan Adhikari, former finance minister and leader of the erstwhile CPN-UML, when the incident occurred at City Hall.

Ratan has claimed to be the son of Mun Bahadur Tiruwa, a cadre of the then Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, who was killed during Maoist insurgency by the state-side in the early 2000s. He also recently graduated with a diploma in engineering. He had studied the course from martyrs’ quota.

Meanwhile, NCP’s Jumla committee, issuing a statement, has denied that Ratan belongs to a martyr’s family. It has said that he was a member of banned  Netra Bahadur Chand-led CPN. Police, however, have not revealed Ratan’s political affiliation.