By Nepal News Correspondent

Kathmandu, Feb 27:

The government formed a three-member probe committee headed by a senior bureaucrat Tika Dutta Niraula to investigate the recent incidents of clash and violence between police and Maoist insurgents involving killing of several people and damage of property worth millions of rupees in some parts of western Nepal.

This move came following the conditions put forward by the Maoist leader to initiate talks with the government.

Earlier Maoist leader had set conditions in response to the appeal of Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba asking Maoist insurgents to come to negotiating table.

Other two members of the probe panel include senior police officer and an intelligent officer. The committee has been given the mandate of making field visits and submit a report with details of the incidents taken place recently in Khara and Rugha of Rukum, Ghartigaun of Rolpa, Ghadu of Achham, Raralihi of Jumla and Kalimati and Rampur of Salyan districts.

In those incidents, several police personnel, insurgents and even innocent people have been killed.

Maoist leader recently demanded that investigation into the incidents of different places be conducted and culprit brought to book.

It was one of the conditions set by Maoist leader to initiate talks with the government for the solution of the five-year old problem of insurgency.

The general secretary of the Maoist Communist Party Prachanda ( Puspa Kamal Dahal) had set conditions for the talks and announced its committee to hold talks with the government.

The conditions were investigation of the incidents in the above-mentioned places, action against those involved in the incidents, release of Maoist leaders and workers from jail, among other.

The government also released a senior Maoist leader Suresh Ale who had been in jail for the last few months. Maoists had been demanding release of Ale.

These are the indications that the government and Maoists are getting closer for talks aiming at ending the insurgency.

Given the recent developments and public response from both government and Maoists’ side, something positive breakthrough is expected in the near future aiming at ending the five-year old insurgency in the country.

The underground Nepal Communist Party ( Maoist) has launched the armed insurgency for the last five years with the objective of overthrowing the present multi-party system and establish one-party communist rule. Almost 4,000 people have been killed in the incidents of violence related to Maoist insurgency.