Kathmandu:
An Indian national was arrested in Nepal in connection with an incident at a tourism event in which Deputy Prime Minister Bishnu Paudel sustained a minor burn injury. According to police, the accused, Kamlesh Kumar, was responsible for filling hydrogen gas in balloons that exploded during the inauguration of ‘Visit Pokhara Year 2025’.
The arrests came after two sets of hydrogen gas-filled balloons exploded on February 15 when Deputy Prime Minister Paudel and Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhanraj Acharya released them, along with a banner, soon after lighting candles through an electric switch as part of the ceremony.
The hydrogen-filled balloons caught fire as the candles lit for the festival were too close to them. Paudel along with Acharya suffered burns injuries in the incident and was airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.
Following this, a case was registered against 41-year-old Kumar in Kaski district court, Deputy Superintendent of Police Basanta Sharma said.
Many users on social media shared videos from the event when the incident took place. The footage shows the balloons bursting into a big explosion, injuring the people standing close by.
बेलुन फुटेर आगो सल्किँदा अर्थमन्त्री विष्णु पौडेल र पोखरा महानगरपालिकाका प्रमुख धनराज आचार्य घाइेत भएका छन्। pic.twitter.com/ECIt4H3kuo
— Bipin Sapkota (@bipinsapkota213) February 15, 2025
The explosion was triggered when an automatic switch sparked a flame that ignited the hydrogen-filled balloons, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Paudel, who is also the finance minister, and Acharya had sustained injuries on their hands and face. He was discharged on Monday after treatment at Kirtipur Burn Hospital in Kathmandu while Acharya will remain under medical supervision for a few more days, according to hospital sources.
Soon after the incident, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak had formed an investigation committee to probe the matter.