Probe into Dharan tragedy begins

DHARAN, Oct 2: The probe committee formed by the government to investigate into the church shed collapse has started its work on Friday. Twenty-three people were killed and another 63 people were injured when the shed, which had been built to accommodate participants of an annual conference near the Zion Prayer House of El-Shaddai Church in Dharan, had collapsed on Tuesday night.



“Committee members are discussing the work plan. We will inspect the site as per the work plan,” said the committee´s coordinator and Sunsari´s deputy Chief District Officer Harihar Dahal. Dahal added that committee members would also interview the injured on Friday. Though the four-member committee was formed on Wednesday, it couldn´t begin its work as the country was observing Dashain festival, Dahal said.



The committee members include Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Dhakal of Sunsari District Police Office, Legal Section Officer Parameswor Pokharel of the Attorney General´s Office, and Engineer Pramod Singh of Housing Division Office, Biratnagar. According to Dahal, the committee will submit its report 15 days.



The church, where the incident took place, has been organizing such conference every year coinciding with Dashain holidays since 2000. Temporary sheds had been built this time to accommodate over 1,500 participants who had arrived from many districts, apart from India. The organizers have said that the incident was accidental and not the management´s mistake.

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