Journalist Mitralal Balak Adhikari committed suicide by jumping off Dharahara– a historic monument– Friday morning.

Dharahara– a historic monument. (File photo)

Dharahara– a historic monument. (File photo)
According to reports, Adhikari jumped off the nine-storied Dharahara tower at around 10 a.m. Friday morning. He died instantly.

His body was taken to TU Teaching Hospital Maharajgunj for postmortem. Reports quoted security guards as saying that he jumped off despite their attempts to prevent him from committing suicide.

The Dharahara, which was opened to the public from 14th January 2005, closed Friday after the incident took place. It is not clear when it will reopen to the public.

National hero and the first Prime Minister of Nepal Bhimsen Thapa built the Dharahara in 1880.

Kathmandu Municipal Corporation leased the tower to Sidewalkers Traders for 20 years at Rs 60,000 monthly rent, it is learnt.

The company charges Rs 49 from Nepali and south Asian nationals to climb up the tower for a view of the Valley, while it is Rs 299 for other tourists.

It was also providing special discounts to students and groups of 15 or more.