NHRC condemns bomb attack at OHCHR office; asks govt to beef up security

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned the blast carried out by unidentified persons at the premises of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal) based in Nepalgunj Friday evening.

"Irrespective of which group carried out the blast with whatever motive, NHRC expresses worry over the incident," a release issued on Saturday by the rights watchdog said. The NHRC also said it has launched inquiry into the incident.

A socket bomb that was possibly lobbed from outside the compound went off at the OHCHR-Nepal's office at Surkhet Road around 8:45 pm, but nobody was hurt.

Urging the government to immediately launch probe into the incident and bring the culprits to justice, the NHRC also asked the government to take steps to improve the overall security situation in the country.

It's for the first time any UN office in Nepal has been targeted by an underground outfit.

Reports said a previously unknown group, 'Bhisan Himali Bagh', claimed responsibility for the blast. Pamphlets dropped at the site suggested that it was a Hindu extremist outfit. nepalnews.com Feb 14 09