A socket bomb was found at a house of Nepali Congress mayor candidate at Kushma Municipality in Parbat district on Thursday evening.

A bomb disposal unit of the Nepal Army, however, defused the explosive device planted at the house of Ram Chandra Joshi.

After the socket bomb was found wrapped in a red plastic bag, police immediately arrested Nepal Communist Party district in-charge Om Bahadur Pun, district advisor Om Prasad Panta, district member Yagya Gautam and district secretary Albert for investigation.

Similarly, police also apprehended local Nawadristi online portal proprietor Gopal GC for the investigation. GC had published a news with a picture of socket bomb a day before the explosive device was recovered.

According to a police source, a picture of the explosive device published in the news of the online portal on Wednesday was similar to the socket bomb found in the house of Joshi on Thursday.

Police said that journalist GC was not arrested for publishing the news, but for helping the perpetrator for planting the bomb.

Police claimed that they have also found a record of online conversation between the man involved in planting the explosive device and journalist GC.

Parbat police, however, said that they are searching for the man involved in planting the bomb.

“The investigation into the incident is underway,” Inspector and spokesperson Madhukar Jung Bista said.

He said that the public offence case would be filed against the arrestees by extending the remand.