An unidentified group hurled improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the vehicle of CPN (Maoist Centre) federal parliamentary election candidate and minister without portfolio Janardan Sharma at Goiri in Chaurjahari Municipality-8 in Rukum on Friday. No one was injured in the incident, it is reported.

The IEDs were hurled at the vehicle of left alliance leader Sharma when he was heading to Simli of Sanobheri Rural Municipality from Chaurjahari valley to address election meet and canvas votes for the upcoming polls with the election publicity team.

According to Sharma, the perpetrators intentionally targeted the vehicle that he was riding as they waited for the first car to move past before hurling the explosives.

The first IED exploded after hitting the vehicle and another one failed to explode. However, it did not cause any physical harm to the publicity team.

District Police Office Chief DSP Rajendra Dhamala informed that search is underway for the perpetrators involved in the incident. The police have suspected the hand of Netra Bikram Chand-led cadres for the incident.

The publicity team included left alliance provincial assembly constituency-B candidate Gopal Sharma, CPN (Maoist Centre) Federal Parliament Proportional Representation candidate Chandra Bahadur BK, provincial assembly candidates Bimala KC, CPN-UML’s PR candidate for provincial assembly Devi Oli, among other left alliance leaders.