Nepal: Suspicious objects found in various parts of the country ahead of elections, two vehicles set on fire in Kathmandu

We hereby share an unofficial translation of an article published on Moolbato. The general elections in the country take place today.

Kathmandu. Security agencies have reported that suspicious objects have been found in various parts of the country ahead of the March 5 elections. It is reported that suspicious objects have been found in areas including Sarkhet, Kanchanpur, Biratnagar.

According to information received, a suspicious object has been found in Chhinchu, Surkhet. The suspicious object was found on the Chhinchu-Jajarkot road section in Ratchaur, Bheriganga Municipality-10 on Tuesday morning. Locals had informed the police after seeing the suspicious object on a pressure cooker wrapped in red plastic on the side of the road with ‘Danger’ written on it.

Police Inspector Prakash KC of the District Police Office, Surkhet, informed that a police team reached the spot as soon as the information was received. “A security cordon was immediately set up after receiving information that a suspicious object was found on the roadside,” he said.

Police have cordoned off the area and restricted the movement of the general public. The police have stated that necessary security precautions have been taken keeping in mind the potential risks.

Similarly, two vehicles were set on fire in Maharajgunj and Naikap, Kathmandu. A Toyota car with registration number BAA 2836 was found ablaze near the Sipradi Trading office in Naikap and a Maruti van with registration number BA 7 Cha 1401 was found ablaze in Maharajgunj, informed SP Pawan Bhattarai of the District Police Range, Kathmandu.

A Maruti van was found on fire near the Rajdhani petrol pump in Maharajgunj. It is believed that the arson was committed by a group active in disrupting the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5.
Similarly, suspicious items have been found on the East-West Highway in Kanchanpur. Police have stated that two suspicious bags were found on the highway in Krishnapur Municipality-2, Banai.

According to Police Inspector Rajesh Basnet of the Area Police Office, Jhalari, it is still not clear what was inside the bag found.

A team of Armed Police Force and Nepal Army, including DSP Hem Bahadur Shahi of the District Police Office, Kanchanpur, has been mobilized to the incident site.

Police have taken a suspicious person into custody after he claimed to have left a bag on Razmag. Security personnel are examining the suspicious item.