ITAHARI: Police have arrested two individuals in connection with a bomb threat that triggered panic in Itahari and Dharan on December 31, 2024.
The Itahari and Pakali Area Police Offices received alarming messages at 4:36 am that day claiming explosives had been planted near the Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City Office, Budhikhola and Bhotepul. The messages, sent from mobile number 9814347290, declared — ‘the movement has begun’.
Police swung into action immediately, and a Nepal Army bomb disposal team located a pressure cooker near the sub-metropolitan office. No explosives were found at the other two sites. Inside the pressure cooker, security personnel discovered pamphlets from the previously unknown “National Security Party”, demanding a Hindu state, abolition of federalism, stronger local governance and a directly elected prime minister.
After a three-month investigation, police arrested Khagendra Kharel (47), alias Sanjay, from Damak-1, Jhapa, and Laxmidevi Thapa (36) from Itahari-4, Sunsari, at the Bhantabari border point in Koshi Rural Municipality-8 late Wednesday evening while they were entering Nepal.
SP Suman Kumar Timilsina of the District Police Office, Sunsari, confirmed that Kharel had fled to India after sending the messages to the police. “Kharel was convicted multiple times in the past for similar crimes,” Timilsina said. “Despite serving prison terms, he continues to engage in criminal activities.”
A History of Terror
Kharel is no stranger to police. In 2021, he orchestrated a bomb blast at Nawajagriti Tol in Itahari-2. Rabin Thapa (22) and Sher Jung Gurung (23) of Dhodeni in Lamjung-5 were injured in the explosion. Police recovered pamphlets from “Himal Security Council Nepal”, advocating anti-federalism and Hindu statehood, calling for the resolution of border disputes with India and China, from the incident site. Following the investigation, police arrested Kharel and Thapa as well as
Uttam Rijal. The Sunsari District Court later sent Kharel, Laxmidevi, and Sher Jung Gurung to prison pending trial on charges of organized crime and bomb-related offenses.
After being convicted, Kharel served a prison sentence for two years and four months. Soon after his release, he started spreading terror through bomb hoaxes.
Kharel had been previously arrested in May 2019 for planting a bomb under the Kanakai River bridge in Jhapa in the name of the “Gorkha Janamukti Party”. He was sentenced to two years and five months in prison.
In another case, police arrested Kharel for placing pressure cooker bombs at a bus stop in Birtamod and near Siwan Church in Damak in January 2022.
Kharel has also been accused of spreading propaganda supporting a constitutional monarchy, Hindu nationalism and opposing MCC agreement through his social media platforms..
Sunsari police have obtained a five-day remand for Kharel and Thapa from the Sunsari District Court for further investigation. Kharel and Thapa face charges under the Prevention of Organized Crime Act, 2013 and explosives-related offenses.
