A fire broke out in a storeroom of the Armed Police Force (APF) headquarters in Halchowk, Kathmandu, gutting official papers and books in the wee hour of Tuesday.

The fire in the storeroom of the APF accounts section caused an estimated loss of Rs2.5 million, said APF Spokesperson DIG Babu Ram Pandey The APF has claimed that an electrical short circuit may have started the fire. But there are also those who believe that it was a case of arson. With the APF enmeshed in corruption controversies over procurement and recruitment processes, many officials within the institution suspect that the fire was deliberately lit to destroy documentary evidences. A seven-member team, led by AIG Prem Kumar Shahi, has been formed to probe into the matter, said DIG Pandey. Meanwhile, Nepal Police is also leading a separate investigation.