Nepali Student's Tragic Death in Hamas Captivity Shakes Hometown

On October 22, 2025, the quiet town of Mahendranagar, Nepal, was shrouded in grief as the body of Bipin Joshi, a 23-year-old student who died in Hamas captivity, returned home after two years of uncertainty and heartbreak. Bipin had been selected for an agricultural exchange program in southern Israel in 2023, but less than three weeks after arriving, he was taken hostage when Hamas militants stormed the kibbutz.

For the past two years, Bipin's family had fought tirelessly to secure his release, launching international appeals and meeting with diplomats and human rights groups. Tragically, their hopes were dashed when Israeli officials confirmed that Bipin's body had been handed over by Hamas under a humanitarian truce. The town of Mahendranagar, which had never seen a loss like this, came together to mourn the young man they had watched grow up.

As Bipin's coffin, draped in Nepal's crimson flag and garlands of marigolds, was carried through the streets, residents lined the roads, lighting candles and bowing their heads. His mother wept quietly, surrounded by relatives, teachers, and classmates who once celebrated his dream of studying abroad. The final rites took place on the banks of the Mahakali River, where villagers sang folk hymns in a farewell to the boy they had known.

Bipin's death has struck a deep chord in Nepal, a country that sends thousands of workers and students abroad every year. His story reflects the precarious fate of many young Nepalis seeking opportunity overseas, often in volatile regions. The government has vowed to review safety protocols for student exchange programs and migrant workers, but for the people of Mahendranagar, the loss is immediate and personal. As the embers of Bipin's funeral fire faded into the river, the town remained lit with small oil lamps, each one flickering in his memory.