Nepal Royal Family Massacred
K A T M A N D U, Nepal, June 2, 2001 -- Nepal's Crown Prince Dipendra, who killed at least eight members of his royal family and then turned the gun on himself, remained on a life-support system today, a day after the shooting, government and military sources said.
The State Council, which oversees royal affairs, named Dipendraking after King Birendra, the queen and at least six other membersof the family were slain and three others were wounded Fridaynight.
But because Dipendra remained on a life-support system at anarmy hospital today, the State Council named his uncle, PrinceGyanendra, acting king.
Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel called the massacre "anational tragedy," and confirmed that the crown prince was toblame.
Paudel told the independent news agency Press Trust of Indiathat the government had ruled out the involvement of Maoist rebelstrying to topple the monarchy.
Queen Objected to Son's Bride
A senior military official said the shooting was caused by adispute over the marriage of the prince because his mother, thequeen, reportedly objected to his choice of a bride.
The royal family had gathered Friday night for dinner to discussDipendra's wedding.
Sources close to the family said that the prince wished to marrythe daughter of a former government minister from the Rana family,which formerly ruled Nepal.
The slaughter at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace is believed tohave been the worst mass murder of royals since the Romanovs wereslain on the order of Vladimir Lenin in 1918 during the Russiancivil war.
King Birendra was a figurehead royal much like the queen ofEngland, appearing in ceremonies and addressing Parliament once ayear. The royal family is revered here, with some believing thatthe king is the reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. Nepal issqueezed between China and India.
Thousands Woke Up to the News
Katmandu, the capital city, woke up today to news of theslayings. Thousands of people headed to the palace in the heart ofthe city.
Police in riot gear moved in around the iron walls that surroundthe modern concrete palace to push back the crowds. The main streetleading to the palace was closed, and people began gathering atevery street corner to share the news.
"This is unbelievable," said Shreeram Shrestha, who rushed tothe palace. "One day you hear that the crown prince is gettingmarried soon and the next day he goes on to a shooting rampage andkills everyone in the family."
Crown Prince Dipendra, 29, shot all immediate members of theroyal family late Friday, including King Birendra, 55, QueenAiswarya, 51, and Prince Nirajan, 22, a senior military officialtold The Associated Press.
The State Council confirmed that the others killed were PrincessShruti, 24, the crown prince's sister; Princess Sharada Shah andPrincess Shanti Singh, both sisters of the king; Kumar KhadgaBikram Shah, Princess Sharada's husband; and Princess Jayanti Shah,a cousin to the late king.
It said three others were wounded: Gorakh Bikram, PrincessShruti's husband; Komal Shah, the king's cousin; and PrinceDhirendra, the king's youngest brother.
They remained at the military hospital.
The acting king, Prince Gyanendra, arrived in the capital by carSaturday afternoon from the jungle area of Chitwan.
The bodies of the dead were to be taken in a procession from thearmy hospital later Saturday and cremated according to Hindu ritesnear a temple on the bank of the Bagmat River.
"Shocking is an understatement, we have been orphaned by thisloss," said Janardan Sharma, a vegetable vendor who left hismorning rounds to head to the palace.