Kathmandu, May 4:

A team of representatives from the government, political parties and non-government organisations is set to visit Ghamhariya Maheshpur VDC in Siraha on Tuesday to investigate the rape and looting that took place on April 27.

In a primary report presented today at a programme organised by the Conscious Media Forum, it was revealed that a group of 30 masked armed looters took control of a Dalit settlement in the Mahara tole-4 and looted at least 25 houses, misbehaved with 22 women and raped two of them.

The report said the looters made away with valuables and cash amounting to Rs 60,000.

The report stated that the labours of the Maruti Cement Factory had staged a strike seeking hike in salary some two months ago and that the husband of one of the raped woman had participated in the strike. The report has also mentioned that the factory manager had warned of dire consequences for staging the strike.

The report roundly blamed the factory management for using local gangsters.

Kalpana Rijal, secretary of the Women Security Pressure Group, said, “The team will draw attention of the government to penalise the guilty.”

She said they would hand over a memorandum to authorities including the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, National Human Rights Commission, legislative-parliament and the Speaker of the House, draw their attention to the incident.