The high-level commission formed to investigate the vandalism carried out by mobs on September 1 in protest of the killing of 12 Nepali hostages in Iraq began its formal investigation on the incident Monday.

A probe team led by former Supreme Court judge Top Bahadur Singh inspected the Jame Masjid (mosque) at Ghataghar this afternoon to take account of the damages. The team also visited some other sites around the area and the media offices that were vandalized. Additional security officials were deployed at the Jame Masjid when the probe team reached there for inspection.

The probe commission has been given 30 days to disclose the findings. Following complaints of lack of legal authority, the government had turned the probe team into a commission last week as per the Investigation Commission Act.

36 persons have already been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the vandalism. nepalnews.com mbk Sept 13 04