A part of the wall near Damchen petroleum damaged by the bomb

7 June, 2008 - A member of the Communist Party of Bhutan (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) based in Nepal was killed while trying to plant a bomb near the Damchen petroleum depot at Kharbandi, Phuentsholing at around 2:15 am on June 4.

According to police, the culprit, identified as Indra Bhadur Ghalley, was found dead ten metres away from the blast site. “He was killed while he was activating the explosive device, which went off,” according to the police. Police said that the deceased absconded the country last year to join the party in Nepal.

A watchman at Kharbandi told Kuensel that the explosion was so loud that he threw his mobile phone from shock. “When I went to inspect, some parts of the wall beside the road had been blown off and there was no one,” he said.

Earlier that night a bomb, which exploded near the Nainital primary school in Samtse at around 12:45 am, severely injured the man who tried to plant the bomb.

According to the watchman of the school, the culprit suffered deep cuts on his head and body. “He was given water by people nearby who were alerted by the impact of the explosion,” he said.

Police identified the man as Chandra Raj Rai, an active member of the Communist Party of Bhutan based in Nepal and registered as a refugee in the Beldangi-II refugee camp. The Samtse police also recovered leaflets and banners of the party from Chandra Rai. Chandra Raj Rai told police that the Communist Party of Bhutan in Nepal sent him to carry out bomb blasts in Nainital village.

According to police, Chandra Raj Rai and Indra Bahadur Ghalley were involved in instigating and recruiting people in Ghumaoney gewog in Samtse to join the Communist Party of Bhutan. “They’d also given training to some people of Ghumaoney in the making and use of improvised explosives devices,” said a police spokesperson.