4-yr-old girl among eight hurt in Capital bus attack

KATHMANDU, NOV 14 -

Eight people, including a four-year-old girl, were injured whenbanda supporters hurled a petrol bomb at a moving bus in Samakhusi here on Wednesday evening, the second day of the transport strike called by poll-opposing political parties.

This is also the second consecutive day when a child was injured in indiscriminate attacks on public vehicles in Kathmandu. Four-year old Manju Shrestha and her mother Nitu were injured in the Samakhusi attack. Also injured were Ram Bahadur Thapa (micro bus driver), Dhwoj Singh Bista, Apsara Basnet, Sanu Babu Basnet, Manju Pant and Binod Bahadur Chand. Nitu has sustained severe burn injuries.

On Tuesday, one Ashish Lama of Lubhu was injured when bandasupporters hurled a petrol bomb at a bus in Kumaripati in Lalitpur.

All the injured in Wednesday’s attack are undergoing treatment in Grande Hospital in Tokha.

“The passengers have sustained burn injuries on their face, neck, hands and legs,” said Dr Chakra Raj Bastola, medical director of the hospital. Spokesperson at the Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office, SSP Hemanta Pal, said investigations are under way.

According to the Home Ministry, 51 incidents of vandalism, arson and bomb explosions were reported across the country on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Unidentified persons hurled a bomb at UCPN (Maoist) poll candidate of Bhojpur constituency-2, Sudan Kirati, in the morning. Kirati was attacked while he was on his way to Kot VDC, around six miles away from the district headquarters. Also, a ‘cylinder bomb’ exploded in Kamalamai Municipality in Sindhuli district on Tuesday night. However, no casualties were reported in both the incidents.

A bomb disposal squad of the Army defused a powerful bomb in the bordering area of Ilam and Jhapa. Also, a cylinder bomb exploded at the Gyauria Khola bridge along the Padajungi-Gaurigunj road stretch in Jhapa.

Likewise, two Damauli-bound Indian vehicles were set ablaze in Ghasikuwa of Tanahu on Tuesday night. The vehicles caught fire after they were hit by three petrol bombs. Two Indians were injured in the incident.

(With inputs from district correspondents)