Two vehicles marked 'Press' but carrying injured soldiers, set off the landmine planted along the Mahendra Highway in Nawalparasi that killed Asmita Chapagain as she cycled home from shopping with friends, according to eyewitnesses and journalists who arrived first on the scene.
Soldiers have been hopping rides on media vehicles for a long time, one industry insider told us. "Newspaper delivery vans are not allowed to pass through areas controlled by security forces until they agree to carry soldiers," he added.
In general, the government has a policy that if it commandeers private vehicles it will pay the additional 20 percent insurance charge or 100 percent if the vehicle is not insured.