Kathmandu: At least 36 people were injured when suspected Maoist rebels exploded a powerful bomb at a Government office complex at the heart of Nepalese capital Kathmandu today (Nov 9, 2004), police said.

Three unidentified people, one of them carrying a bag, entered the newly built seven-storey commercial complex of the Employees' Provident Fund in Sundhara at 2.30 pm (local time), said Kulman Lama, the guard of the building.

"They overpowered me and forcibly entered the building when I asked them for checking the bag and minutes after they returned planting the bomb on the first floor, a huge explosion was heard," he said. They asked him to run away saying there is a bomb inside the building.

A dozen labourers working inside the shopping complex cum office building, which is in the final stages of construction and two dozen pedestrians standing near the micro-bus stand were injured in the incident, said police, who suspected Maoist hand behind the explosion.

Both the escalators and the front side aluminium structure of the building was damaged and window-panes were smashed by the explosion. Broken windowpanes were seen scattered 200 meters from the building on the main road.

The security personnel have surrounded the entire building complex after the blast, which comes just before the Hindu festival of Deepawali. The injured have been admitted to nearby Bir Hospital for treatment.

A staff of the building estimated that the loss could cross Rs 2 crore. The Rs 22 crore, 36,000 sq metre building is the largest ever being built in Kathmandu.