Maoists have bombed the village home of the Nepalese government minister who led failed peace talks with the rebels, causing damage but no casualties, his family said on Monday. The rebels hurled a powerful bomb at Chiranjibi Wagle's residence on Saturday in the southern district of Birgunj, "blowing off the first storey of the house and burning more than 100 sacks of paddy," a family member of the minister said.

Wagle, the minister for housing and physical works, spends most of his time in Kathmandu and no one was in the house at the time of the attack, the relative said. Wagle headed the government team that held three rounds of peace talks with the Maoists, which failed to yield a breakthrough.

The Maoists, who are fighting to overthrow Nepal's constitutional monarchy, broke a four-month ceasefire on November 24 by attacking army and police posts. More than 400 people have since been killed, according to the government. Near Wagle's house, Maoists also threw a petrol bomb on Sunday night at the house of ruling party MP Ekraj Ranabhat, a home ministry source said.

The attack, some 180 kilometres (112 miles) south of Kathmandu, caused "considerable damage" but did not cause casualties, the source said. Bureau Report