Ten years on; mystery behind Nepal royal massacre still lingers

The most significant event in Nepal’s modern history took place on a warm Friday night on 1 June 2001 when the country’s crown prince gunned down nine members of his family including his father and mother in an alcohol and drug fuelled stupor before shooting himself.

Ten years have passed since that fateful night which changed the course of Nepal’s monarchy and led to its end seven years later. But the mystery and conspiracy theories surrounding the massacre are still as fresh as ever.

The incident is still discussed and debated in roadside conversations, at dinner tables, in office canteens and swanky restaurants. Findings of the official investigation, books on the event and statements by former royal palace staff members have added to the mystery.

In its 200-page report, the investigation committee blamed crown prince Dipendra of having gunned down his father King Birendra, his mother Queen Aishwarya and seven other members of the royal family during a weekly family get together.

The Queen’s opposition to Devyani Rana, the woman Dipendra wanted to marry, was supposed to have been the trigger that prompted the crown prince to take the drastic step.

But the report left many questions unanswered. No post-mortems were carried out on the bodies, there were discrepancies in the statements given by some of the witnesses and doubts regarding the weapons used by Dipendra to carry out the massacre and their origin remained.

कृपया पर्खनुहोस, भिडियो 60 सेकेण्डमा लोड हुदै छ

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