KATHMANDU, Dec 15: A Nepali soldier killed at least 14 people and wounded 19 others when he opened fire on a crowd at a Hindu festival near Kathmandu before taking his own life, the army said On Thursday. “A soldier opened fire randomly, killing 14 people including himself,” said a statement from the Royal Nepalese Army headquarters.

At least 19 others were wounded in the shooting Wednesday at a temple in Nagarkot on the outskirts of Kathmandu, the statement said.

Radio Nepal said a three-member committee was formed to probe the killings and the finding will be made public in five days.

Eyewitnesses said the soldier dressed in a combat jacket and civilian trousers had returned drunkenly to the gathering of Hindu worshippers at a celebration to the goddess Devi after an earlier spat with a local.

He then fired indiscriminately over a period of between 10 and 15 minutes on the crowd of up to 500, they said.

The killing sparked demonstrations against the army, which has been accused by rights groups of abuses while fighting a Maoist uprising which has left over 12,500 people dead.—AFP