Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma on Wednesday said that a three-member probe committee has been formed to look into deaths of four children in Garuda Municipality-4 of Rautahat district.

Four children were drowned in a water-filled pit apparently dug for road expansion in the district on Saturday.

Responding to queries at the Legislature-Parliament meeting today, Minister Sharma said that a committee under Peace and Security Division head at the Home Ministry, Deepak Kafle, has been formed to probe the incident.

Eastern Regional Road Directorate Director Muktiram Gautam and DIG Pushpa Chandra Ranjit are members in the committee.

“The committee was formed under the direction of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to study, investigate and identify the guilty,” said Home Minister Sharma, adding, “The committee has been given 15 days to identify the guilty and initiate necessary legal action.”

 “We are saddened that four children were drowned in a water-filled pit dug during road expansion,” said Minister Sharma, adding that the committee members have already reached the incident site.

Sunita Kumari Sah, 9, Sangita Kumari Sah, 12, Sunauna Kumari Sah, 9, and Sushmita Kumari Sah, 9, all from Garuda Municipality-4, were drowned in the pit.