Bomb blast in Nepal kills 3 policemen
New Delhi, April 21, IRNA
Nepal-Explosion
Three policemen and a civilian were killed on Wednesday in Nepal in a bomb blast blamed on Maoist militants, reports Asian Age, leading New Delhi based newspaper.
The explosion which took place in the town of Mujaliya, 378 km southeast of the Nepalese capital, left five other policemen injured.
A police spokesman said the bombs were detonated as the officers tried to shift "sacks heaped at the side of an electric pylon". A red banner had been strung over the bags warning they contained bombs, he said.
The police said such incidents are common and are part of a Maoist drive to sow terror among locals.
The rebels have been waging an increasingly deadly campaign since 1996 to overthrow the monarchy and set up a Communist republic. The conflict has claimed over 11,000 lives.
Meanwhile in the picturesque city of Pokhara, a bomb exploded on Wednesday in an empty private school. The police said the blast was part of a Maoist intimidation campaign to force the closure of free-paying schools. The school had announced it would defy the rebels and re-open on Thursday.
Today, the Nepalese police arrested a former minister after he refused to appear before the Royal Corruption Control Commission (RCCC), triggering protests from his supporters, reports Press Trust of India.
Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader Prakash Man Singh, who is the son of 1990 People's Movement leader Ganesh Man Singh, was arrested at 10.15 am at his house at Chaksibari-Chhetrapati.
Singh, who was the Physical Planning and Construction Minister in the ousted Deuba Government, was summoned by the RCC three days ago in connection with investigations into the issue of contract relating to ADB-funded Melamchi Drinking Water Project.
Singh, however, questioned the constitutionality of the Royal Commission and refused to depose before it.
The Royal Commission was formed to grill politicians who opposed the February 1 Royal takeover and it was not formed as per the Nepalese constitution, Singh said.
2160/1422
::IRNA No.025 21/04/2005 13:59 --End
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
