A resident of Tanakpur, Bhandari was competing in the Half-marathon which attracted close to 1200 participants from both India and Nepal.
According to the information provided by Banbasa Police Station in-charge Prakash Singh Danu,"Bhandari collapsed while competing in the event and was unconscious. This was just as the athletes were entering the Nepal border. Nepal Police immediately rushed him to the nearest Mahendra Nagar health centre where the doctor in attendance declared him dead on arrival.