PHIDIM: A squad from the Nepali Army defused a bomb planted by an unknown group along the Ranke-Rabi road section in Panchthar on Thursday.

Locals had informed security personnel after they saw a suspicious object at around 6:00am. A Nepali Army team deployed from Panchthar-based Bhairabi Battalion defused the explosive after five hours.

They surmised that the Communist Party of Nepal led by Netra Bikram Chand might have had planted the bomb.