Family says Nepal's five-time prime minister Thapa dies

Nepal's former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa passed away at a hospital in the Indian Capital New Delhi Wednesday night at the age of 87, his grandson Siddartha Thapa said Thursday.

A former chairman of Nepal's Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, Thapa had recently diagnosed with stomach cancer and had undergone gastrectomy at the Delhi-based Medanta Hospital. He was taken to New Delhi last week for medical treatment.

The five-time prime minister was kept on ventilator support in the Medanta hospital after he suffered multiple organ failure Wednesday night, Siddartha Thapa told Xinhua.

Thapa served as Nepal's prime minister for five times under three different kings, in 1963-64, 1965-69, 1979-83, 1997-98 and 2003-04, respectively.

According to Kiran Giri, a leader of the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, the former chairman's body would be brought to Nepal from New Delhi later Thursday and will be kept for condolence ceremony.

Thapa's son Sunil Bahadur Thapa is currently the minister for commerce and supplies.