DANG/BIRATNAGAR: At least eight persons were injured in an explosion near the venue of a Nepali Congress election rally in Dang today.

The incident occurred about 500 metres south of Araniko stadium in Tulsipur, where Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was addressing a rally.

According to police, the condition of three of the injured is critical. Police said search for those involved in the explosion was on.

An explosion also took place in Morang today, targeting the election campaign of the left alliance’s parliamentary candidate from Morang-6 Lalbabu Pandit. A bomb went off while Pandit, along with provincial poll candidate Jivan Acharya, was canvassing in Bhudhiganga Rural Municipality.

According to Pandit’s supporter and student leader Osim Alam, the blast occurred just eight to nine metres from their vehicle. Alam added that such explosions would not discourage them from campaigning.

Police suspect the hand of Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN cadres behind the explosion.

Pandit, who is contesting against NC heavyweight Shekhar Koirala, was minister of general administration in the Sushil Koirala-led government in 2014 and had taken a hard line against government officers holding diversity visa and green card.

An explosion also occurred in the house of NC’s provincial candidate Himal Karki in Udayapur-1 this morning. The blast occurred when Karki returned home in Chuhade, Triyuga Municipality, after campaigning at around 2:30pm. His house suffered minor damage but cattle were hurt in the explosion. Three days ago, an explosion had occurred, targeting Udayapur-2 left alliance parliamentary candidate Suresh Rai in Udayapurgadi Rural Municipality.

In Jhapa-3, a sutali bomb went off at NC’s parliamentary candidate Krishna Prasad Sitaula’s  home in Bhadrapur Municipality, Chandragadi, last night. Police arrested Rajesh Karki, 40, of Barhadashi, while he was trying to flee after carrying out the explosion.

(UPDATED)

8 cops including temporary police, hurt in Dang bomb explosion

KATMANDU: An unidentified group exploded a bomb at Dang, Tulsipur, injuring 8 cops including temporary police deployed for second phase of House of Representatives and State Assemblies elections.

It has been learned that the four seriously injured security personnel have been rushed to Nepalgunj for treatment.

Recently, bomb targeting political leaders have been exploded to cause chaos and instill fear among the voters in the society.