Tension has gripped Kailali District Prison following a violent clash between inmates on Friday night that left one prisoner dead and 47 others injured.

In response, the District Security Committee has formed a five-member inquiry panel led by Assistant Chief District Officer Kiran Joshi, with a mandate to submit its findings within 10 days.

The committee comprises Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Singh of Nepal Police, DSP Janak Raj Pant of the Armed Police Force, Investigation Officer Dipendra Singh, and Administrative Officer Shivaraj Joshi as member-secretary. The panel will investigate the circumstances leading to the incident and recommend measures to prevent such clashes in the future.

According to preliminary reports, the fight broke out over disputes related to prisoner transfers, an issue that has caused frequent confrontations in recent weeks. The clash turned deadly when 40-year-old Bharat Chaudhary of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City–4 was killed.

Forty-seven others were injured and taken to Seti Provincial Hospital, where three remain in the ICU in serious condition. Due to the high number of casualties, patients have been placed in a separate ward originally set up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Security forces, including armed police, have been deployed in large numbers inside and outside the overcrowded prison, which currently houses more than 700 inmates despite a capacity of only 150.

The day before the deadly incident, another fight injured six prisoners, underscoring ongoing instability within the facility.

Relatives of inmates have gathered outside the prison, anxiously awaiting updates as officials work to maintain order and conduct the investigation.