Kathmandu, Mar 4: Two people were injured when a suspicious object exploded in Nepal’s Madhes province on Tuesday, just two days ahead of the March 5 general election, police said.
The incident occurred on the East-West Highway in Bardibas in Mahottari district when the unidentified object exploded near a bridge, injuring two pedestrians, police said.
The injured were identified as Sandesh Chaudhary, 17, and Samir Chaudhary, 24. They were admitted to a local hospital and their condition was stated to be stable. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast.
In a separate incident, two vehicles were torched in Kathmandu early Tuesday morning. Police said pamphlets calling for a boycott of Thursday’s House of Representatives (HoR) election were recovered from the site.
Pro-monarchist groups and some smaller leftist factions have announced a boycott of the general election. Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the arson incident.
Meanwhile, police said they have arrested 142 people from different parts of the country on charges of engaging in activities aimed at disrupting the election process.
Nepal has closed all border checkpoints with India for 72 hours starting Monday midnight as part of security measures ahead of Thursday’s parliamentary elections.
Cross-border movement of people and goods is halted, except for essential items such as fuel, while arrangements are in place to assist stranded foreign nationals.
The Armed Police Force will enforce the closure, coordinating with India’s Sashastra Seema Bal to prevent infiltration. Vehicles with foreign number plates are banned in border districts. The measure follows the Integrated Security Plan 2025 and aims to prevent election disruptions.