Police have arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in the bombing at Biratnagar Metropolitan Office on August 12.

Manoj Kumar Singh, 53, of Jahada Rural Municipality, Morang, Abhimanyu Giri, 20, of Laxmipurpatari Rural Municipality, Siraha, and Rajrijan Yadav, 24, of Sukhipur Municpality, Siraha, were paraded before the media as the suspects behind the bombing on Sunday. Morang police said Manoj was arrested on Friday from Morang while Abhimanyu and Rajrijan were arrested from Siraha on Saturday.

Morang police chief SP Manoj Kumar KC said there were five people involved in the explosion and the explosion was triggered by a remote control. KC said the arrested trio and two others Birendra Kumar Yadav aka Bikky of Dhangadimai Municipality, Siraha, and Rahul Yadav of Jahada Rural Municipality planned the explosion in Darbhanga, Bihar, some three months ago.

How the explosion unfolded?

Police investigation showed that Bikky, also associated with Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (Krantikari), called four others in Darbhanga and plotted the explosion. “They picked out Biratnagar Municipality office for the explosion concluding an explosion there would send shock waves across the country,” said SP KC.

Police said Manoj was given the responsibility for carrying out the blast by Bikky. Bikky also financed all the expenses for the bombing. As per the plan, Manoj brought the bomb from Bathanaha in India a day before the explosion and hid it at his home, police added. Footages gathered from CCTVs showed Manoj and Rahul, on the day of explosion, riding two motorcycles to Biratnagar Buspark where Ramrijan and Abhimanyu arrived from Siraha.

The four then rode to Biratnagar Municipality office in two motorcycles. The footage showed Manoj exiting the building alone on his motorcycle. Manoj had given instructions to Abhimanyu on where the bomb was to be planted. Abhimanyu planted the bomb as per the direction and exited the building on foot, while Rahul surveilled the building premises before and after the explosion. Police said Rajrijan then remotely triggered the bomb.

Following the explosion, Manoj and Rahul dropped Abhimanyu and Ramrijan to Biratnagar bus park from where they took a bus to Siraha.

Chairman of Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (Krantikari) Jay Krishna Goit called media persons claiming responsibility for the explosion.

The explosion at around 2 pm damaged the window panels and the vehicle of Mayor Bhim Parajuli. There was no human casualty as most of the office staff and service seekers were out of the building for lunch break.