27 May 2019
At least three persons were killed and six others were injured in two separate bomb explosions in Kathmandu on Sunday evening.
Two persons died in the spot while one breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Om Hospital in Chabahil, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shyam Kumar Gyawali at the Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office, Ranipokhari.
The incidents took place at Sangam Chowk of Ghattekulo and at a Dhalan Chowk-based hair salon in Sukedhara, killing a worker of the salon.
According to a preliminary police investigation, the incidents have connection with the banned Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) led by Netra Bikram Chand Biplav.
Five injured persons are receiving treatment at Om Hospital, according to the police.
The deceased were identified as Prajwal Shahi, killed at Ghattekulo-based bomb explosion that went off inside a rented room. The person injured in the Ghattekulo blast was identified as Rabin K.C, 26, chairman of student wing of Biplav-led group at Tri Chandra Campus and a permanent resident of Sanibheri in Rukum district.
Deceased Shahi was learnt to be the student leader of the pro- Biplav-led association at the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) in Bhaktapur, SSP Gyawali said. Shahi and K.C were the victims of the Ghattekulo-based bomb explosion. The person killed in Sukedhara-based bomb blast was identified as Chhotu Thakur, 56, of Ramnagar in Mahottari district. He was a salon worker.
It seemed that the time duration of both the explosions had no much difference, SSP Gyawali said. Surendra Maharjan, one of the injured in Sukedhara-based bomb explosion, was identified as a member of Newa Mukti Morcha, one of the sister wings of the Biplav-led group.
Among the injured persons, identification of Hari Khadka and Rabin KC were ascertained. Khadka was injured in the Sukedhara-based blast.
KC is receiving treatment at Bir hospital-based Trauma Centre while Khadka was undergoing treatment at Om Hospital, police said.
Meanwhile, Nepal Police Headquarters spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General Bishwo Raj Pokharel said that the two incidents could not be termed just a coincidence, but a pre-planned strategy adopted by the cadres of Biplav-led group to create fear among the public and make their Monday’s nation-wide strike (bandh) a success.
Meanwhile, Ashok Kumar Bhujel, an eyewitness who entered the room at Ghattekulo blast after the incident, said that he said the man was lying down on the ground with his head completely disfigured
and lower body parts with no damages.
“There was smell of gun powder or fire cracker inside the room though the cooking gas cylinder was without any damages,” Bhujel said.
The blast’s sound was so big that houses located in around 300 metres felt like tremor for a while, Bhujel said.
Meanwhile, a pressure cooker bomb went off at Itabhatta Chowk in Chandragiiri Municipality-3 in Kathmandu on Sunday evening. In the incident, two of the public were injured but their identification were yet to be confirmed, DSP Hobindra Bogati at the Metropolitan Police Range, said. Also, another one pressure cooker bomb was found in Lagankhel, Lalitpur district Sunday night, according to the police.
Similarly, DIG Pokharel said that security measures in Kathmandu have been beefed up after the multiple explosions.
Security personnel from Nepali Army, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force have been deployed.
Seven arrested.
Meanwhile, police have detained seven cadres of Biplav-led party from Narephant in Koteshwor area on Sunday night, according to SSP Uttam Ram Subedi, chief at the Metropolitan Police Range.
The police have not made the names of the arrestee public.
Police have recovered four pressure cookers, three bags pamphlets of the party and some explosives. TRN
