A pressure cooker bomb went off at the building of Chulachuli Rural Municipality in Ilam on Saturday, causing a minor damage to the building.

According to Sub-Inspector Dev Raj KC of the Peltimari Police Post, the pressure cooker bomb exploded at around 8 pm on Saturday.

It is not immediately clear who planted the explosive, investigation is underway, Sub-Inspector KC added.

“We heard a big blast in the evening,” Chairman of the Rural Municipality Pradeep Chandra Rai said, adding, “It has not been established yet who planted the bomb.”

“If anyone has any problem, it should be resolved through discussion. It is not good to destroy public property by planting the bomb,” Rai said.

According to Vice-Chair Nirmala Dahal, two cadres of Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal had come to the office three months ago and urged the office to curb the corruption.

“Corruption is taking place in the development works of ward No 9 and Chulachuli Forest. We want to make corruption free society. We are taking action against corrupt people,” Dahal quoted Maoist cadres saying.

Dahal said they had warned of planting bombs in various places as part of their campaign against corruption.

She suspected that the Maoist cadres might have planted the bomb at the building of Chulachuli Rural Municipality.