The government of Nepal has suspended six quarantine officials for allowing Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) -- a US fast food chain, to import raw chicken from the bird-flu affected India, officials said Monday.

"We have taken action against the culprits by suspending them," said Jay Mukunda Khanal, Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture Development. "We are thoroughly investigating into the matter."

A three-member investigation panel has been formed under the leadership of Uttam Kumar Bhattarai, Joint Secretary at the Ministry. The committee has been asked to furnish report by Thursday.

Among the suspended include two senior officials, i.e. under- secretaries and four technicians. All of them were summoned at the Ministry Sunday and interrogated on how they could overlook the quarantine law.

The World Health Organization, a few weeks ago, again listed India as a bird-flu affected country. The law of Nepal bans the import of livestock from such countries. The Ministry has further issued circular to all concerned government offices, quarantine check posts and security bodies to increase vigil to prevent illegal livestock imports into Nepal.

Last Saturday, a group of irate poultry farmers in Dhading took control of two containers of KFC carrying 5,104 kg of frozen chicken from India. They dug a pit and buried the whole stock.

KFC has been importing raw chicken to meet the demand of its outlets in Nepal, while Nepali poultry farmers have been saying they are capable of meeting the demand of KFC in both the quality and quantity.