KATHMANDU: Sending shockwaves through the media fraternity, the body of senior journalist and columnist Bharat Bhurtel was discovered in a hotel in Kathmandu on Friday afternoon.

Bhurtel's body was found hanging in the bathroom of Room No 301, Pashupati Hotel in Gaushala this afternoon. His body was suspended with his muffler tough his feet were touching the floor.

It is yet to be determined whether it is a case of suicide or a pre-planned killing. Police has initiated a preliminary investigation into the incident. Police personnel including DSP Govinda Pariyar had reached the scene of the crime.

Bhurtel, a resident of Bhaktapur had been staying at the hotel since April 7. His colleagues who were staying in the same hotel revealed that he was working on a biography of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav.

In the recent past he had been a regular contributor to Nagarik Daily for the column Charitartha. A copy of a humorous piece on the controversial Machine Readable Passports deal was recovered from his pocket.

Bhurtel's friends, relatives and well-wishers have thronged the hotel, unable to come to terms with the shocking news.

The deceased Bhurtel was also popular as the host of several news-based programmes on Radio Nepal and had been involved in radio journalism for a long time.