Police on Thursday night arrested two more people in connection with the explosions in half-a-dozen schools of Kathmandu on September 20.

The arrestees have identified themselves as Revolutionary Communist Centre General Secretary Keshav Dahal and the party’s student union coordinator Min Devkota.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police Bikram Singh Thapa, the duo had planned the explosion of Improvised Explosive Devices at the Jorpati-based Manakamana School and Akash Deep School.

A joint operation of the Metropolitan Police Crime Division and the Metropolitan Police Range arrested the perpetrators from Bhaktapur on Thursday.

“The explosion was intended to extort money from the schools,” said SSP Thapa. Dahal was earlier arrested on the charge of smuggling Yarshagumba.

While there were no injuries reported, the explosion and bomb hoax had caused widespread panic and terror among parents and students. The suspicious objects were also found at Rai School in Bouddha, East Pool School and Ambassador School in Jorpati, Kantipur English School in Maharajgunj and Kanchanjungha English School in Dallu and the Sanepa-based Radiant Readers’ Academy.

Police had recovered pamphlets of the All Nepal National Free Students Centre and the Young Communist Force Nepal from the explosion site, which led to the duo’s arrest. Both these organisations are affiliated to the Devendra Mahat-led Maoist Communist Centre Nepal. Mahat is on the run.

With Thursday’s arrests, a total of six persons have been caught in connection with the bombing that was condemned from all quarters. On September 26, the Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu arrested the party’s Vice-chairman Bishnu Poudel and politburo member Mustakin Ansari from Kathmandu alleging their involvement in carrying out the explosions.

Immediately after the blasts, police had arrested Shanker Lakhe and Chandra Tamang, who identified themselves as central committee members of the Maoist Communist Centre Nepal.