Popular actor and social activist Thinley Lhondup died in his home district Dolpa on Sunday. He was 72.

A permanent resident of Saldang-5, Thinley had fallen off the cliff at Chhepka in Phoksundo VDC, on his way back home from Dunai, the district headquarters. He fell along with the horse he was riding as it was pushed by mule passing through the narrow track, according to Ram Krishna Regmi, Thinley’s landlord in Dunai. The horse died on the spot while Thinley succumbed to his injuries soon afterwards.

The Caravan actor had stomach cancer. He lived in Dunai and frequently travelled to Kathmandu for treatment. Thinley’s friends and relatives told the police about the incident. Preparations were on to dispatch a team to the incident site, DSP Dhrubaraj Raut said.

Thinley played the lead character in the 1999 adventure film directed by Eric Valli. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Film Award at the Oscars in 1999. Valli met Thinley in the 1980s in Dolpa where he was the village chief.

Thinley also made a mark in the Nepali music video industry. Nepathya’s Sa Karnali was a popular number he was cast in.