Nepali students protest against king

The blast came amid large street protests by student unions and activists who oppose a meeting of an advisory council to King Gyanendra. The council is expected to call for greater powers for the king.

Several thousand protesters swarmed through the streets of the ancient capital for a second day, shouting "Down with the state council, down with the king! Long live the republic!"

Friday's blast, blamed by police on Maoists fighting to overthrow the monarchy, wrecked the ground floor of the state-run agricultural research plant at Lalitpur and injured four people.

It followed an explosion at a government building Thursday, also blamed on the rebels, that caused damage but no casualties.