The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has drawn the government’s attention to investigate the whereabouts of those who were forcefully disappeared during a decade-long armed struggle waged by the then CPN (Maoist).

In a press statement on Monday, the constitutional rights watchdog said the victims’ families have been facing legal hurdles and psycho-social pressure due to the unknown status of their fate.

"There is a situation of impunity in country as the government has not initiated any legal action, although NHRC has already identified the culprits involved in human rights violations and recommended action for the same," read the statement.

Two transitional justice mechanisms—Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEPD) and Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)—have been formed as per Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA), to address the rights violation cases during armed struggle.

According to the NHRC, the fate of 842 people disappeared during the conflict are still unknown. "It is disheartening that the situations of disappeared people are still not investigated and made public even after 10 years have passed since the signing of CPA," said NHRC.