Nepali Congress (NC) Kathmandu-4 candidate Gagan Thapa and 10 others were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at Chapali height in Narayansthan, Kathmandu on Monday.

This is the first incident of IED explosion in country's capital Kathmandu in the run-up to the second phase of parliamentary and provincial elections slated for December 7.

The injured have been admitted to the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) for treatment. 

According to Thapa’s aid Pratap Paudel, Shyam Kirshna Shrestha, Jayaraj Lamichhane, Raj Kaji Shrestha, Renu Bharuwal were critically injured in the explosion while Dhruba Khadka, Purna Bahadur Shrestha, Suman Khadka, Rabindra Karki, Kasi Lal Shrstha and Parschuram Thapa sustained minor injuries.

TUTH's Emergency Unit Chief Dr Pratap Narayan Prasad said Thapa has suffered minor injuries to his back in the explosion. All the injured are undergoing treatment at the emergency unit of the hospital.

Thapa, a federal parliament candidate from the constituency, was in a door-to-door election campaign when the explosion occurred.

Photos: Kabin Adhikari