POKHARA, NEPAL – Following a tragic incident during the inauguration of the Pokhara Visit Year 2025 event, the government has taken action by forming an eight-member committee to investigate the balloon explosion. The decision to establish the committee was made during a cabinet meeting held in Kathmandu on Sunday, with Kaski Chief District Officer Bharat Mani Pandey appointed as its leader.
This committee, comprised of key officials such as the Chief Administrative Officer of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Shivraj Chaulagain, and Kaski District Police Chief, Superintendent of Police Shyam Babu Oliya, has been given the responsibility to thoroughly investigate the cause of the balloon explosion. The committee also includes Chief of the 24th Armed Police Battalion Headquarters in Hetaunda, Superintendent Surya Prasad Timilsina, and Deputy Director of the National Investigation Department, Suresh Kumar Tiwari, among others. Ganga Bahadur Chhetri, the Assistant Chief District Officer of Kaski, will serve as the secretary of the committee.
An official from the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the committee has been given a deadline of 15 days to submit a detailed report on its findings regarding the balloon explosion incident. The incident, which resulted in injuries to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, occurred during the unveiling of Visit Pokhara Year, 2025 on Saturday. Both leaders are currently receiving medical treatment at Kirtipur Burn Hospital in Kathmandu.
The formation of this committee signifies the government’s commitment to investigating the incident thoroughly and holding accountable those responsible for the balloon explosion. The fact that such high-ranking government officials were injured in the incident further underscores the seriousness of the matter and the importance of determining its root cause. The public is eagerly awaiting the committee’s report to shed light on what led to the unfortunate balloon explosion during the inauguration event in Pokhara.