Four children were killed in an explosion at Tribeni Rural Municipality in Rolpa on Thursday.

“Four children died in the blast at Ward No. 7 Gauri Gaun of the rural municipality,” said Deputy Superintendent Chitra Bahadur Gurung. “The incident occurred at around 6 pm.”

Two of the deceased are from the same family.

Police officials at the scene have found a mortar shell near the incident site, said Shanta Kumar Oli, chairman of the rural municipality. “The children were on their way back from the nearby forest when the incident took place,” said Oli.

“The bodies will be taken for post-mortem after the army’s bomb disposal team unit arrives and inspects the area,” said Gurung. “It could have been a grenade explosion,” he added.