Kathmandu: Nepal’s first pro-republic leader Ramraja Prasad Singh, who led a violent protest to push for the abolition of monarchy, died here on Wednesday at the age of 77.
Singh breathed his last at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu. He was suffering from multiple problems including high blood pressure, nervous disorder and Parkinson’s disease.
The veteran revolutionary leader, who was considered as a hero by anti-royalists, would be given state honour with a 13-cannon salute before cremation.
Singh was the main contender of presidential election in 2008 after the abolition of monarchy from the country.
He was backed by Maoist chief Prachanda during the first presidential election but he lost the contest to Dr Rambaran Yadav.
Wednesday’s half-a-day general strike called by various student and youth wings belonging to the opposition parties was called off to mourn the demise of Singh. In 1976, Singh established Nepal Janabadi Morcha (Nepal Democratic Front), a leftwing political movement in Nepal.
Singh was convicted of the 1985 bombings near the then Narayanhiti Palace (now turned into museum) in the capital and his property was confiscated.
Eight people including a member of parliament were killed in the bombing. However, he managed to escape and went into exile in India till restoration of multi-party democracy in 1990 when amnesty was granted to him. (PTI)
