Dhangadhi, February 4:

Maoists detonated two bombs at the house of Jeetraj Choudhary, the newly elected deputy mayor of Dhagadhi municipality, last night. Choudhary’s house, located at Sadbhawana tole of Dhangadhi municipality, was completely destroyed in the explosions.

According to family sources, the Maoists forced his family members - wife Rupa, sister Nisha, son Rohit and daughter Sanju - out of the house before setting off the bombs. Rupa, Jeebraj’s wife, said: “The Maoists set off two bombs and also set ablaze other goods in the house.” The Maoists made off with four tolas of gold, Rs 4,000 in cash, among other valuables, she added.

Choudhary is a Nepal Samata Party activist and has been staying at the Zonal Police Office for security concerns, family sources said. Family members are staying in the house of their neighbour. The Maoists damaged the houses of mayoral candidates - Kumar Bahadur Shahi and Bishnu Devi Rawal in Tikapur municipality of Kailali district some days ago.

A report from Dang said security forces defused two time bombs placed at the houses of the mayoral and deputy mayoral candidates of Tribhuvan municipality. The bomb planted at the house of Surya Bahadur Thapa, a mayoral candidate, was defused this morning while another bomb at the house of Krishna Bahadur KC, deputy mayoral candidate, was defused last night. In course of defusing the bombs windowpanes of nearby houses were broken. Maoists placed bombs in the house of newly elected Mayor of Nepalgunj, Bipin Shrestha, at Gadyanpur, Nepalgunj-13 last night.

According to Hiru Devi Shrestha, mayor’s mother, Maoists planted two bombs, one in front of the house and other at the backyard.

Maoists had also detonated bombs near Shrestha’s house last night. The security forces had taken the bombs away this morning. Shrestha’s mother, wife and other family members are currently staying at the house.

Mayor Shrestha is in Kathmandu.