The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has launched investigation into the death of the assistant regional administrator of the Eastern Region, Prem Prasad Sapkota, in Maoist captivity on Friday at Kurule area, Dhankuta district.

Issuing a press statement on Saturday, the NHRC said an investigation team of NHRC’s Biratnagar office visited the incident site and the place where Sapkota’s body has been kept.

“The NHRC has taken the death of Sapkota, who was not involved in the war, in Maoist captivity, as violation of international human rights law,” the rights commission said, calling upon the CPN (Maoist) to bring into light its official position over the incident and assist the NHRC team in the investigation process.

The NHRC further said it would coordinate with Nepal Red Cross to handover Sapkota’s body to his family.

Abducted on February 7 along with 14 other government officials and security personnel during a Maoist attack in Dhankuta, Sapkota, 57, who had been suffering from hypertension, diabetes and asthma, died in Maoist captivity on Friday.

Maoists have confirmed his death.