Bipin Joshi’s body reaches Kathmandu following Hamas attack in Israel

Dhangadhi: The body of Nepali student Bipin Joshi, who was killed in a Hamas attack in Israel, has arrived in Kathmandu.

The plane carrying his body landed at Tribhuvan International Airport at 2:30 pm on Monday. Prime Minister Sushila Karki and other high-ranking officials are preparing to pay their respects, while Energy Minister Kulman Ghising and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have already reached the airport.

After completing the necessary formalities at the airport, Joshi’s body will be transported to his home district of Kanchanpur, where his last rites will be performed in Bhimdattanagar according to family tradition.

Joshi, a student from Kanchanpur who had traveled to Israel for studies, was taken hostage during a Hamas attack on a kibbutz on October 7, 2023. His condition remained unknown until Israeli authorities confirmed his death on October 27.

Hamas handed over Joshi’s body to the Israeli army as part of a hostage exchange following a ceasefire agreement. DNA testing confirmed his identity, and a forensic examination conducted by the Nepali Embassy in Israel determined that he died during the abduction.

Prior to being flown to Nepal, tributes were paid to Joshi at Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airports in Israel, and his coffin was draped with the national flag of Nepal.