KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Ishwor Pokharel is leaving for Pokhara to take part in the final rites for Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari.

Secretariat members of the Nepal Communist Party, Bamdev Gautam and Narayan Kaji Shrestha are also leaving for Pokhara to attend the funereal ceremony of Adhikari. As announced at Tundikhel, Gautam and Shrestha will drape the party’s flag over the body of late Adhikari while Minister Pokharel will drape a national flag on his mortal remains.

The Adhikari’s body has been kept at Nepal Army Pavilion, Tundikhel for condolence. His mortal remain will be airlifted to Pokhara shortly after the condolence.

A cabinet meeting held at Baluwatar on Wednesday evening had decided to accord state funerals to Adhikari.

Seven people including Adhikari had died in the chopper crash that occurred in Taplejung on Wednesday.