Nepal’s new prime minister formed a judicial commission on Sunday to investigate the killings of more than 70 people by the armed forces to quell a student uprising that erupted nearly two weeks ago.
The three-member commission, to be headed by a retired judge, will also investigate the arson and looting of public and private properties worth billions of dollars during the protests, which lasted two days earlier this month. It is expected to complete its work within three months.
Setting up the commission is the first step by Sushila Karki, who was appointed interim prime minister 10 days ago, to determine how student anti-corruption protests that started peacefully on the morning of Sept. 8 erupted in violence by that afternoon, as security forces opened fire on protesters. The following day, protesters set fire to many iconic government buildings in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and also burned down the homes of politicians.
Ms. Karki, a former chief justice of Nepal, was appointed after K.P. Sharma Oli, the former prime minister, resigned amid the protests. The country will hold elections in March.
A total of 74 people died over two days, including 61 protesters and bystanders, three police officers and 10 inmates, according to Nepali police officials. Twelve of the deceased were burned beyond recognition, and the police said they had collected human skeletons from burned supermarkets and houses and would conduct DNA testing to ascertain their identities.
The inmates, including five juveniles in western Nepal, were killed when army officers opened fire as they were trying to escape from three different prisons in the region on Sept. 9.
Gauri Bahadur Karki, the retired judge heading up the commission, said he would begin his work shortly after taking an oath of office. The commission’s other members are a retired senior police official and a lawyer.
Mr. Karki said he would “investigate the given matters and recommend action against those involved in killing the people and damaging the properties.”
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