Thapa cremated with state honours

KATHMANDU, APR 17: The five-time Nepali Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa was cremated with state honours at the Pashupati Aryaghat of Kathmandu on Friday.

Thapa’s only son Sunil Bahadur Thapa lit the funeral pyre on the veteran leader as per the Hindu tradition.

Sunil Bahadur is also the Minister for Commerce and Supplies.

A team of Nepal Army offered a guard of honour while playing national anthem and giving 21-canon salute to the late leader.

Tens of thousands of people, including political party leaders and cadres, relatives and family members and members og the general public had thronged the Aryaghat area to observe last rites of the founder of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).

Earlier, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala had draped the national flag over his body, as a part of the state honours, at the Dasharath Stadium this afternoon.

The funeral procession, started from the Stadium, had moved through Bir Hospital, Bag Bazaar, Maitidevi, Old Baneshwor, Battisputali and Gaushala before reaching to Pashupati Aryaghat for cremation.

Thousands of people had attended the procession.

All government offices in Nepal and abroad were closed on Friday to mourn his death.