Chapakot bomb blast: Retired Army arrested

By Radhakrishna Dumre, Walling, Oct.21: A retiree from the Nepali Army Gobinda Puri has been arrested by the Nepali Police in connection with the bomb blast in Chapakot, Syangja. 

The socket bomb had exploded at Puri's house in Malyangkot, Chapakot Municipality, on Saturday evening. Puri himself received minor injuries following the bomb blast and had undergone treatment at Lumbini Medical College, Palpa. He then was arrested by the Police after treatment. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of the District Police Office, Syangja, Hari Prasad Paudel said that a large amount of explosives were recovered in the house of 45-year-old Puri, who retired from the Nepal Army two years ago. 

He said that 900 grams of unexploded gunpowder, two detonators, a round of Jungi, and two rounds of empty cartridges were recovered from Puri's house. 

District Police Office, Syangja said that the whereabouts and the purpose behind the storage of explosives including bomb-making ammunition will be revealed only after the investigation. 

The socket bomb exploded while moving dishes from the third floor of the house to the second floor on Saturday. A three-storied house in Puri was damaged in the blast. 

A case related to explosives will be registered against Puri as per the Explosives Act 2018(1961) if found guilty of storing explosives. 

Instigation is underway at the incident site by a team of Nepal Police and Nepal Army.