Kathmandu, April 30

Four persons died and 32 others were injured when a bomb went off at Ramananda Chowk of Janakpur Monday morning.

Those killed in the blast have been identified as  Ranju Jha, 32, of Sakhari, Mahotari district, Bimal Saran Dash, 40, of Baluwa Tole, Suresh Upadhyay, 45, of Rajhaul and Jhagadu Mandal of Janakpur.

Jha and Dash were killed on the spot, while the other two succumbed to injuries while being rushed to Janakpur Zonal Hospital for treatment.
The victims were participating in a sit-in protest demanding a separate Mithila state in the new constitution and were preparing to stage a traffic jam at 3:00 pm as per their protest schedule.

The bomb was planted on a motorcycle with registration No. Ja 2 Pa 9395 parked at the site of sit-in protests.

Fifteen of the victims critically injured in the blast were airlifted to the TU Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu by a Nepal Army helicopter and planes of Yeti and Buddha Air. Rest of the injured victims are undergoing treatment at Janakpur Zonal Hospital, said Purushottam Kandel, chief of Dhanusha District Police Office.

After the blast, Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha led by Rajan Group has owned the responsibility of the blast. The bomb went off at 9:50 am.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar claimed that Janakpur bomb blast was orchestrated by those who were against federal republic and planned restructuring of federal states.

Terming the blast as tragic and barbaric, DPM
Gachchhadar said it was targeted against the whole Mithila community. Minister Gachchhadar made this remark after he visited the TU Teaching Hospital Monday evening to inquire about the conditions of the 15 injured victims.

Gachchhadar said the government would provide necessary relief assistance to the family members of the deceased and the injured.

Minister Gachchhadar said police have detained a person suspected to be involved in the blast. Two unidentified men who came on a motorcycle were responsible for the blast, Minister Gachchhadar said. Police arrested Jaya Prakash Chaudhary, of Saptari in connection with the explosion.

Various Madhesh-based political party leaders also visited the TU Teaching Hospital to inquire about health conditions of the injured.

According to Dr. Ramesh Acharya, chief of the Emergency Room at TU Teaching Hospital,

of the 15 injured persons, Dipendra Dash and Surendra Mandal are in critical condition.

Two of the injured have undergone surgeries, Dr. Acharya said. He said most of the patients have sustained injuries in their bellies, hands and legs.

Other injured persons flown to the capital include – Ramesh Thakur, 42, of Janakpur-8, Rajesh Kumar Singh, 35, Jamun Thakur, Dhirendra Mohan Jha, 40, Ojir Shekh, 55, Dipendra Dash, 28,m Mukesh Kumar Yadav, 18, Rambabu Jha, 20, of Janakpur-8, Jaya Shanker Thakur, 18, Surendra Mandal, 22, Sanjay Pajiyar, 27, Prof. Parameshwor Kaphir, 56, and Dilip Thapa, 32 and Roshan Srivasthav.

All the injured persons are from Janakpur.

Roshan Sirvasthav, one of injured victims told The Rising Nepal that he was participating in a sit-in protest and he heard a loud sound of the blast around 45 minutes after the start of the sit-in.

"As I started running from the scene, I came to know that I had received injuries on my head, back and right thigh," Srivasthav said.

Meanwhile in the capital, various political party leaders and different organizations have condemned the Janakpur blast issuing separate press statements.

Nepali Congress, National Human Rights Commission, INSEC and Madheshi People’s Rights Forum Nepal have condemned the attack. They have also demanded the government to strengthen security in the Terai region, immediately arrest the perpetrators of the blast and give relief to family members of the victims.