Breakaway Maoist faction behind Ncell tower explosion: Minister

The CPN-Maoist faction, led by Netra Bahadur Chand 'Biplav', is allegedly involved in a powerful explosion outside the headquarters of a Malaysia-based telecommunications company , Nepal's Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said on Sunday.

The explosion, which took place on Friday night, was plotted to thwart the Nepal Investment Summit scheduled for March, he added.

A 49-year-old man was killed while two others were injured in a powerful explosion which occurred outside the headquarters of Ncell, a telecommunications company mostly owned by Malaysia-based Axiata Group Berhad, in Nakkhu of Lalitpur district, on the outskirts of Nepal's capital Kathmandu.

"Information has been received that the Biplav group, that is preparing to run a parallel government, planted the explosion," Thapa said at a meeting of State Affairs and Good Governance Committee in Parliament on Sunday.

Thapa claimed that the government has also received a copy of Biplav-led party's recent meeting, which also indicated plans to carry out explosions in the country.

The minister also said that the government was preparing to introduce a new plan of action to improve security situation in the country.

Meanwhile, Ncell towers were attacked in at least 12 other places including Nawalparasi, Kavre, Kaski, Kanchanpur, Rautahat and Rupendehi districts outside Kathmandu by the suspected Maoist cadres.