The community forest next to the river is the training ground for the Nepali Army's Barakh Battalion, Rajbiraj. The army last returned from training there a month ago.
What you should know
It has been revealed that the Nepali Army returned from a training exercise a month ago near the site where four children were injured after a suspicious object exploded in Rupani Rural Municipality-6 of Saptari.
The community forest near the river is the training ground of the Nepali Army Barakh Battalion, Rajbiraj. The army stationed there has been conducting explosive exercises from time to time. The last time the army returned from there was a month ago.
On Saturday, a child who had gone to Dudhaila Khola near the community forest to have a forest feast had collected a toy that looked like a rocket found in the river along with firewood. The toy, which was kept near the stove, suddenly exploded.
Sahas, 11-year-old son of Sajan Ale Magar, 9-year-old son of Manoj Thapa Magar, 16-year-old son of Karna Bahadur Thapa Magar, Kabir, 13-year-old son of Padam Bahadur BK, and Suraj, 13-year-old son of Padam Bahadur BK, were injured in the explosion.
The injured were referred to Madhesh Province Police Hospital Rupani after treatment and brought to Chinnamasta Hospital, Rajbiraj. They are undergoing treatment. Among the injured, Sahas and Prasish were hit in the legs and various parts of the body, and Kabir and Suraj were hit in various parts of the body.
Nepal Army Barakh Battalion Rajbiraj Chief Sobit Bahadur Chand said that they have reached the scene of the incident and are investigating. ‘We practice in the community forest (explosion site) with permission,’ he said, ‘What happened in the explosion is being investigated.’
Chief District Officer Tubaraj Pokharel said that the army is also investigating the matter. ‘The army’s practice site is nearby, but we have received information that no explosives were dropped when the practice site was left,’ he said.
