Nepalese royal massacre: Difference between revisions
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==Aftermath== |
==Aftermath== |
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Dipendra was proclaimed King while in a coma but he died on [[June 4]], [[2001]].<ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1366170.stm Nepal mourns slain king] </ref> [[Gyanendra of Nepal|Gyanendra]] was appointed regent |
Dipendra was proclaimed King while in a coma but he died on [[June 4]], [[2001]].<ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1366170.stm Nepal mourns slain king] </ref> [[Gyanendra of Nepal|Gyanendra]] was then appointed regent. |
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While Dipendra lived, Gyanendra maintained that the deaths were the result of an "accident." However, he later said that he made this claim due to "legal and constitutional hurdles", since under the constitution and by tradition Dipendra could not have been accused of mass murder had he survived.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1373851.stm Nepal journalists charged with treason]</ref> A full fledged investigation took place and Crown Prince Dipendra was found guilty of the killing. Numerous conspiracy theories suggest an alternate conclusion but there is no evidence to support them. |
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The widely accepted motive is that [[Dipendra of Nepal|Dipendra]] was angry over a marriage dispute.<ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6389869.stm Five thousand at Indian wedding] </ref> Dipendra's choice of bride was [[Devyani Rana]], daughter of Pashupati SJB Rana, a member of the [[Rana dynasty|Rana]] clan, against whom the [[Shah dynasty]] have a historic animosity (in recent times, though, Shah kings and princes have married almost exclusively members of the Rana clan). The Rana clan had served as the hereditary prime ministers of Nepal until 1951, with the title [[Maharaja]], and the two clans have a long history of inter-marriages. All linked Dipendra's actions to a clash with his mother over his wish to marry Devyani Rana. It is also alleged that he had problems with both drugs and alcohol and, despite his affable public persona, had had a cruel side to his nature. |
The widely accepted motive is that [[Dipendra of Nepal|Dipendra]] was angry over a marriage dispute.<ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6389869.stm Five thousand at Indian wedding] </ref> Dipendra's choice of bride was [[Devyani Rana]], daughter of Pashupati SJB Rana, a member of the [[Rana dynasty|Rana]] clan, against whom the [[Shah dynasty]] have a historic animosity (in recent times, though, Shah kings and princes have married almost exclusively members of the Rana clan). The Rana clan had served as the hereditary prime ministers of Nepal until 1951, with the title [[Maharaja]], and the two clans have a long history of inter-marriages. All linked Dipendra's actions to a clash with his mother over his wish to marry Devyani Rana. It is also alleged that he had problems with both drugs and alcohol and, despite his affable public persona, had had a cruel side to his nature. |
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Revision as of 08:51, 26 May 2008
| Nepalese royal massacre | |
|---|---|
 The Narayanhity Royal Palace, home of the Royal Family (now nationalized by the Government of Nepal) | |
| Location | Narayanhity Royal Palace, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Date | June 1, 2001 about 21 hrs (UTC+5:45) |
| Target | The Nepalese Royal Family King Birendra of Nepal |
Attack type | Fratricide, patricide, sororicide, regicide, matricide, mass murder, massacre, suicide attack |
| Deaths | 10 (including gunman) |
| Injured | 5 |
| Perpetrators | Crown Prince Dipendra |
The Nepalese royal massacre occurred on Friday, June 1, 2001, at the Narayanhity Royal Palace, the official residence of the Nepalese monarchy.
Overview of events
According to the official report, Crown Prince Dipendra had been drinking heavily and had "misbehaved" with a guest which resulted in his father King Birendra telling his son to leave the party. The drunken Dipendra was taken to his room by his brother Prince Nirajan and cousin Prince Paras.[1]
One hour later Dipendra returned to the party armed with an assault rifle (possibly a G3A3 as shown by a picture of him holding one) and fired a single shot into the ceiling before turning the gun on his father King Birendra. Seconds later Dipendra shot one of his aunts. He then shot his uncle Dhirendra in the chest at point blank range when he tried to stop Dipendra.[1] During the carnage Prince Paras suffered slight injuries and managed to save at least three royals, including two children, by pulling a sofa over them.[1]
During the killing spree Dipendra darted in and out of the room firing shots each time. His mother Queen Aiswarya who came into the room when the first shots were fired quickly left looking for help.[2]
Dipendra's mother and brother Nirajan confronted him in the garden of the palace where they were both shot dead. Dipendra then proceeded to a small bridge over a stream running through the palace where he shot himself.[1]
Conspiracy Theories
Some people in Nepal suspected that Gyanendra was responsible for the royal palace massacre on June 1, 2001 and blamed Dipendra so that he could assume the throne himself.[1] Gyanendra, not as beloved in the country as his brother Birendra, had been third in line to the throne before the massacre. He was out of town (in Pokhara) during the massacre and was the closest surviving relative of the king. Gyanendra's wife and son were in the room at the royal palace during the massacre. While his son escaped with slight injuries,[3] his wife was injured during the incident.[4]
Feeding the rumour is the allegation that Dipendra was mortally wounded by a gunshot to the left side of the head, while Dipendra was right-handed. Some believe that this casts doubt on whether the injury was self-inflicted.[5][6]
Despite the fact that several survivors have publicly confirmed that Dipendra was doing the shooting, as was documented in a BBC documentary,[7] many Nepali people still consider it a mystery. Recently a novel has been published in Nepal named "Raktakunda" which recounts the 2001 Royal Massacre.[8] This novel looks at the incident through the eyes of one of the surviving witnesses, Queen Mother Ratna's personal maid, identified in the book as Shanta. The book, which the author says is a "historical novel", posits that two men masked as Crown Prince Dipendra fired the shots that led to the massacre. Shanta's husband, Trilochan Acharya, also a royal palace employee, was killed along with 10 royal family members, including the entire family of King Birendra. In addition to details of the Royal Massacre, Shanta alleged many other cover-ups by the Royal Family, including a claim that then-King Mahendra committed suicide.
Aftermath
Dipendra was proclaimed King while in a coma but he died on June 4, 2001.[9] Gyanendra was then appointed regent.
While Dipendra lived, Gyanendra maintained that the deaths were the result of an "accident." However, he later said that he made this claim due to "legal and constitutional hurdles", since under the constitution and by tradition Dipendra could not have been accused of mass murder had he survived.[10] A full fledged investigation took place and Crown Prince Dipendra was found guilty of the killing. Numerous conspiracy theories suggest an alternate conclusion but there is no evidence to support them.
The widely accepted motive is that Dipendra was angry over a marriage dispute.[11] Dipendra's choice of bride was Devyani Rana, daughter of Pashupati SJB Rana, a member of the Rana clan, against whom the Shah dynasty have a historic animosity (in recent times, though, Shah kings and princes have married almost exclusively members of the Rana clan). The Rana clan had served as the hereditary prime ministers of Nepal until 1951, with the title Maharaja, and the two clans have a long history of inter-marriages. All linked Dipendra's actions to a clash with his mother over his wish to marry Devyani Rana. It is also alleged that he had problems with both drugs and alcohol and, despite his affable public persona, had had a cruel side to his nature.
A two-man committee comprising Keshav Prasad Upadhaya, the then-Supreme Court Chief Justice, and Taranath Ranabhat, the then-Speaker of the House of Representatives, carried out the week-long investigation into the massacre.[12] The investigation concluded, after interviewing more than 100 people including eyewitnesses and palace officials, guards and staff, that Dipendra had carried out the massacre.[13] Some critics both inside Nepal and abroad dispute the official report.[citation needed]
Victims of the massacre
Died
- HM King Birendra, father
- HM Queen Aiswarya, mother
- HRH Prince Dipendra, himself
- HRH Prince Nirajan, brother
- HRH Princess Shruti, sister
- (HRH Prince) Dhirendra, King Birendra's brother who had renounced his title
- HRH Princess Jayanti, King Birendra's cousin
- HRH Princess Shanti, King Birendra's sister
- HRH Princess Sharada, King Birendra's sister
- Kumar Khadga, Princess Sharada's husband
Wounded
- HRH Princess Shova, King Birendra's sister
- Kumar Gorakh, Princess Shruti's husband
- HRH Princess Komal, Prince (now King) Gyanendra's wife and current Queen
- Ketaki Chester, King Birendra's cousin
- HRH Prince Paras, now Crown Prince, son of Gyanendra
References
- ^ a b c d e Massacre witness blames Crown Prince Cite error: The named reference "one" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Nepal survivors blame prince
- ^ Nepal's errant crown prince
- ^ Nepal queen leaves hospital
- ^ [http://rwor.org/a/v23/1100-99/1107/nepal_royals.htm Nepal: Murder in Palace, Maoists in Mountains]
- ^ Fear is Ruling Here
- ^ Nepal survivors blame prince
- ^ Nepali Times
- ^ Nepal mourns slain king
- ^ Nepal journalists charged with treason
- ^ Five thousand at Indian wedding
- ^ Nepal massacre inquiry begins, at long last
- ^ Prince blamed for Nepal massacre
External links
- Nepal: Murder in Palace, Maoists in Mountains (RWOR)
- Trapped in tradition (Frontline:India's National Magazine)
- Eyewitness Statements