Two killed in Nepal after bomb attack on mosque
Sunday, 30 Mar 2008 10:44
The attack took place in the city of Biratnagar
Two worshippers were killed in the Nepalese city of Biratnagar in a bomb attack on a mosque.
Local police say two motorcyclists threw four bombs on the building as worshippers gathered for the evening prayers. Three of the bombs exploded in the crowd and two people died of their injuries.
A police officer Bidhyananda Majhi told the AFP news agency: "Three small bombs went off inside the mosque killing two people.
"Muslim people started to come into the street and attacked vehicles so we have imposed a curfew to avoid communal violence," he added.
A Hindu extremist group, the Nepal Defence Army, has sent a statement to local media claiming responsibility for the attack.
Nepal's King Gyanendra was forced to resign in 2006 after widespread street protests. General elections were held soon later and the country's parliament has moved to create a secular political system since then.
The country's monarchic system was based on Hindu beliefs and analysts have said the emergence of the Hindu nationalists could be a result of laws passed to end the King's power.