Mahottari – At least five people were injured in a bomb explosion during a Ravan Dahan program organized on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami in Jaleshwar, the district headquarters of Mahottari. One of the injured is reported to be in critical condition and has been referred to Janakpurdham for further treatment.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening at Shankar Chowk in Jaleshwar. The explosion took place when a bomb planted inside the effigy of Ravan went off, injuring nearby spectators.
The injured have been identified as Pawan Pathak (43) of Jaleshwar-8, Anand Pathak (9) of Ward No. 4, Masurpatty, Alam Rain (14) of Ward No. 3, Khaira, Suraj Bhandari (20) of Ward No. 2, and Manish Chaudhary (22) of Ward No. 1. According to Jaleshwar Provincial Hospital, they sustained injuries to the head, eyes, and face.
Most of the injured were discharged after receiving preliminary treatment at Jaleshwar Provincial Hospital. However, 9-year-old Anand Pathak, who suffered a serious injury below his eye, was referred to Janakpurdham Eye Hospital for advanced care, hospital director Dr. Satish Sah confirmed.
According to the Durga Puja Committee, effigies of Meghnath and Kumbhakarna were also burnt along with Ravan this year. District Police Office, Mahottari, stated that initial investigation suggests the injuries may have been caused by shrapnel or hard objects from the explosion near the effigy.
