royal tragedy, 1 June 2001

Royal Tragedy

On the shocking death of King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya
and other members of the royal family

We express our deep shock at the death of His Majesty, King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and other members of the royal family. This tragic incident can only deepen the worries about the future of the country beloved by us. For many, King Birendra had represented one of the last hopes in finding a solution out of the crisis Nepal is facing in so many respects. There seems to be nobody else who can fill this gap. King Birendra's death means an unimaginable loss for Nepal, especially in the current situation. Completely stunned, we can only pray for the departed souls and for all Nepali citizens.

Om mani padme hum

Condolence:

Nepal News.com: Pay your tributes

BBC: Tributes

Full report of the official investigation commission (in Nepali, about 1.3 MB), see also English synopsis

The following links are leading to press reports and comments:

Four ADCs sacked (Kathmandu Post, 04/07/2001)

June as cultural crisis, by Pramod Mishra (Nepali Times, 29/06/2001)

Rights activists seek greater transparency on the probe report (Kathmandu Post, 25/06/2001)

Ranabhat firing blanks, by Seema A. Adhikari (Sunday Post, 24/06/2001)

House Speaker or court jester? letter by Nowa (Kathmandu Post, 22/06/2001), Royal Palace Killings: Loose Ends, by Bhagirath Yogi (Spotlight, 22/06/2001), 4 Days, 3 Kings (Nepali Times, 22/06/2001), I was hit. Sruti cradled me.Then Dipendra came and shot her, unofficial translation of excerpts from the commission’s transcripts of eyewitness testimonies (Nepali Times, 22/06/2001), At Chhauni, 1-4 June 2001, by Upendra Devkota (Nepali Times, 22/06/2001), Elvis is alive (Nepali Times, 22/06/2001), Note of dissent, by Kamal Koirala (Nepali Times, 22/06/2001, originally published in Jana Astha, 13/06/2001)

Unanswered questions, letter by Pradip Koirala (Kathmandu Post, 21/06/2001), Probe report elicits mixed reactions, many questions unanswered (People's Review, 21/06/2001), Ranabhat's insensitive presentation shocks, hurts (People's Review, 21/06/2001), Probe report and after (People's Review, 21/06/2001), Monarch secure among people, insecure at his palace, by P.R. Pradhan (People's Review, 21/06/2001)

CJ report nothing more than compilations of events of June 1 massacre! (Telegraph, 20/06/2001), All is not well with security system inside Royal Palace (Telegraph, 20/06/2001), Deplorable presentation of report (Telegraph, 20/06/2001), Report lacks convincing evidence to accuse late King Dipendra for the massacre, interview with Khom Datta Baral (Telegraph, 20/06/2001)

Probe report: A basis for further investigation (Kathmandu Post, 19/06/2001), Dust should settle now, by Bijaya Lal Shrestha (Kathmandu Post, 19/06/2001), Finding the mind of the nation, by Basanta Lohani (Kathmandu Post, 19/06/2001), Ranabhat’s fiasco, letter by Khagendra Acharya ‘Badri’ (Kathmandu Post, 19/06/2001)

Palace security review underway (Kathmandu Post, 18/06/2001), Katte-bahuns end up in their Valley residences (Kathmandu Post, 18/06/2001), HM Queen's operation (Kathmandu Post, 18/06/2001)

Intellectuals debate on the status of Dipendra (Kathmandu Post, 17/06/2001), Death of the democratic King and press freedom, by Anuj Mishra (Kathmandu Post, 17/06/2001), Ranabhat’s gaffes, by Paras Kharel (Kathmandu Post, 17/06/2001), Birendra tried to shoot berserk Dipendra (Assam Tribune, 17/06/2001), …gf/fo0flx6L xTofsf08Ú Oltxf;sf] ut{df M pRr:t/Lo ;ldltsf] k|ltj]bg ;fj{hlgs d'r'Nsf dfq} (Deshantar, 17/06/2001), bLk]Gb|sf] df]jfOn s;n] rnfof] < (Deshantar, 17/06/2001), k|fljlws k/LIf0fdf bLk]Gb| lgbf]{if † kf]i6df6{d gug'{ g} ck/fw n'sfpg' xf]– 8f= j:tL (Deshantar, 17/06/2001), /fhb/jf/ sf08sf] oyfy{ ljj/0f (Deshantar, 17/06/2001), Interview with Sundar Pratap Rana: /fhb/jf/ xTofsf08sf k|ToIfbzL{x?;"usf] aofg (Deshantar, 17/06/2001)

Report has flaws: Experts (Kathmandu Post, 16/06/2001), Probe report draws mixed reactions (Kathmandu Post, 16/06/2001), Wedding issue turn up in fateful night (Kathmandu Post, 16/06/2001), Commendable job (Kathmandu Post, 16/06/2001), Probe Report Leaves Nepal Cold, by Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 16/06/2001), o'j/fhflw/fh;“u} uf+hf / sfnf] kbfy{ x'GYof] † (Kantipur, 16/06/2001), Interview with Paras Shah: ljjfxs} sf/0f o:tf] 36gf ePsf] xf] (Kantipur, 16/06/2001), Interview with Devyani Rana: o'j/fhflw/fh;“usf] ;DaGwaf/] s'/f ug{ rfxGg (Kantipur, 16/06/2001), Interview with General Prajjwal Shamsher Rana: /fhb/af/sf] ;'/IFf ug{] zfxL ;]gfsf] lhDd]jf/L xf]Og (Kantipur, 16/06/2001), Interview with Kumar Gorakh Shamsher Rana: aGb's bLk]Gb|;+u dfq lyof] (Kantipur, 16/06/2001)

Synopsis of the High Level Committee Report on the Royal Palace Incident, Special Editorial: No politicization, please (Kathmandu Post, 15/06/2001), Report blames Dipendra for Palace shootings (Kathmandu Post, 15/06/2001), Why ? (Kathmandu Post, 15/06/2001), Late King Dipendra’s ‘katto’ ceremony over, by Razen Manandhar (Kathmandu Post, 15/06/2001), Palace Killings: Waiting For The Report, by Keshab Poudel (Spotlight, 15/06/2001), It Was Dipendra: Probe team finds smoking gun, by Kiran Nepal (Nepali Times, 15/06/2001), Ke gardeko? (Nepali Times, 15/06/2001), Devyani Twist in Same Story, Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 15/06/2001), /fhb/af/ xTofsf08af/] pRr:t/Lo ;ldlt : o'j/fhflw/fh bLk]Gb|af6 uf]nL k|xf/ M k|ltj]bg (Kantipur, 15/06/2001), o'j/fhflw/fh bLk]Gb| nfu"cf}ifw Jo;gL † (Kantipur, 15/06/2001), /fhb/af/ xTofsf08 5fglag pRr:t/Lo ;ldltsf] k|ltj]bgsf] ;f/f+z (Kantipur, 15/06/2001), gf/fo0flx6L sf08sf] /x:o cem} v'n]g (Bimarsha, 15/06/2001), /fhkl/jf/df laxf–sf08 klxn] klg ePsf] lyof (Bimarsha, 15/06/2001), bLk]Gb|nfO{ laxf ug]{ xtf/ lyPg, Interview with Rewati Raman Khanal (Bimarsha, 15/06/2001), lbj+ut /fhkl/jf/sf ;b:ox?sf] :jefj, ?lr / /x/, by Santosh Acharya (Saptahik, 15/06/2001)

Is mischief in the air? by Shrish S. Rana (People's Review, 14/06/2001), Beyond the angst and trauma of June 1, by M.R. Josse (People's Review, 14/06/2001), Challenging responsibility for the Monarch (People's Review, 14/06/2001), Royal Palace tragedy a handiwork of cruel providence, by Yadav Khanal (People's Review, 14/06/2001), Royal massacre: A jigsaw puzzle, by Ramesh Sharma, People's Review, 14/06/2001), Tragic end of familiar members of the Royal family, by Barbara Adams (People's Review, 14/06/2001), k|hfjT;n >L % jL/]Gb| M ca hgdfg;leq, by Tulsi Bhattarai (Kantipur, 14/06/2001), Nepal Lakshman Rekha for Foreign Media, by Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 14/06/2001), Deposition Spotlight on Devyani, by Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 14/06/2001), Crisis and Change in the Kingdom, by J. N. Dixit (Telegraph, Calcutta, 14/06/2001)

Probe panel report unlikely to go public before Monday, by Utpal Raj Misra (Kathmandu Post, 13/06/2001), Life returns to normal after extended break (Kathmandu Post, 13/06/2001), Dr Shahi unlikely to be court-martialed (Kathmandu Post, 13/06/2001), Leaders attack Foreign media (Kathmandu Post, 13/06/2001), Politics cashing in on tragedy! (Telegraph, 13/06/2001), Democrats in dilemma: People anxiously wait Royal Commission report! (Telegraph, 13/06/2001), Dr. Rajiv Shahi's press meet raises more questions than answers (Telegraph, 13/06/2001), Why blame foreign media for distortion? (Telegraph, 13/06/2001), Nepali Muslims offer rare honor to late King Birendra (Telegraph, 13/06/2001)

Investigators grind in (Kathmandu Post, 12/06/2001), Late King Birendra bade farewell in surreal Katto ceremony, by Satish Jung Shahi (Kathmandu Post, 12/06/2001), Birendra's Ghost Banished with Curse and Royal Baggage, by Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 12/06/2001), :ju{jf;L >L % bLk]Gb| k/Dk/fut ljjfxsf] kIfdf xf]OaS;GYof] (Kantipur, 12/06/2001), uf]nLsf08sf 3fOt]x¿n] s] aofg lbP < pRr:t/Lo ;ldltn] tYo kQf nufpg ;Snf < (Dristi, 12/06/2001), Pp6L s]6Lsf] nflu bLk]Gb|n] oqf] sf08 dRrfP xf]nfg\ <, by Keshav Badal (Dristi, 12/06/2001), /fhb/af/ xTofsf08 M cem} /x:odo, by Baburam Dhakal (Dristi, 12/06/2001)

Probe body term extended (Kathmandu Post, 11/06/2201), State Council faced dilemma after the Royal shootings (Kathmandu Post, 11/06/2001), 80,000 sign condolence book: Queue at Palace gate gets longer, by Bunu Dhungana (Kathmandu Post, 11/06/2001), Chitwan elephants arrive to carry Brahmans away, by Subodh Gautam (Kathmandu Post, 11/06/2001), Doubts that will not down, by Kuldip Nayar (Kathmandu Post, 11/06/2001), Cocaine fuelled Dipendra’s gun rampage (Assam Tribune, 11/06/2001), Innocent and on the run, by Amit Roy (Telegraph, Calcutta, 11/06/2001), Nepal: Bloodbath in the Palace, by Patricia Roberts (Newsweek, 11/06/2001), Just a Point of View on Nepal (Gangtok Times, 11/06/2001), SPCC (I) criticises State Government’s failure to mourn for the death of Nepal’s royal family (Gangtok Times, 11/06/2001)

Probe committee visits Army Hospital (Kathmandu Post, 10/06/2001), Bhimeshwore idol perspires to forewarn nation ! by Ishwori Neupane (Kathmandu Post, 10/06/2001), /fhb/af/ xTofsf08sf] kf]:6df6{d, by Arun Saymi (Kantipur, 10/06/2001), Investigators Raise Against Deadline (Assam Tribune, 10/06/2001)

Eyewitness account comes under fire (Kathmandu Post, 09/06/2001), Shahi could face action (Kathmandu Post, 09/06/2001), Losing a great champion, by Shanker M Singh (Kathmandu Post, 09/06/2001), Tell-all Captain Jumps Army Gun, by Ashis Chakrabarti (Telegraph, Calcutta, 09/06/2001), Probe Panel Steps into Nepal Palace, by Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 09/06/2001), Everybody loves a King, by Sunanda K. Datta-Ray (Telegraph, Calcutta, 09/06/2001)

First eyewitness account of Palace incident (Kathmandu Post, 08/06/2001), Late Princess Shruti was an all-rounder, by Somesh Verma (Kathmandu Post, 08/06/2001), Their Majesties’ ‘favourite getaway’, Pokhara mourns, by Amrit Bhadgaunle (Kathmandu Post, 08/06/2001), King Gyanendra: A Model Monarch, by Keshab Poudel (Spotlight, 08/06/2001) [link includes the article "Death of King Birendra: End Of An Era" by the same author], Rumors: A Dangerous Pastime (Spotlight, 08/06/2001), Editor's Note (Spotlight, 08/06/2001), Desperate For The Truth, by Bhagirath Yogi (Spotlight, 08/06/2001), The Palace Story: Take it or Leave it, by Ashis Chakrabarti (Telegraph, Calcutta, 08/06/2001), Missing Massacre Links, by Ashis Chakrabarti (Telegraph, Calcutta, 08/06/2001),

Committee begins probe (Kathmandu Post, 07/06/2001), Friends rue loss of Prince Nirajan (Kathmandu Post, 07/06/2001), Royal massacre, a conspiracy: Maoists (Kathmandu Post, 07/06/2001), High level committee starts investigation: Joshi tells media to shun rumours (Rising Nepal, 07/06/2001), His Majesty specifies Terms of Reference of the Probe Committee (Rising Nepal, 07/06/2001), Kathmandu relatively calm (Rising Nepal, 07/06/2001), Bhattarai calls for peace, tolerance (Rising Nepal, 07/06/2001), Wide Support (Rising Nepal, 07/06/2001), The Kings are dead: Long live the King, by Shrish S. Rana (People's Review, 07/06/2001), Stop troubling the nation, by PR Pradhan (People's Review, 07/06/2001), Official silence and soft-peddling on Palace killings slammed (People's Review, 07/06/2001), Maoists observe the Friday incident as a grave political conspiracy (People's Review, 07/06/2001), World leaders laude King Birendra's contribution for safeguarding state independence and sovereignty of Nepal (People's Review, 07/06/2001), Chronology of events (People's Review, 07/06/2001), Time to come together, not commit mass suicide, by MR Josse (People's Review, 07/06/2001), A horrendous national calamity (People's Review, 07/06/2001), The sad Friday, by PR Pradhan (People's Review, 07/06/2001), RAW blamed for palace massacre (Assam Tribune, 07/06/2001), Nepal developments (Assam Tribnune, 07/06/2001), King lets probe enter palace, by Ashis Chakrabarti (Telegraph, Calcutta, 07/06/2001), Doctored theories, doctor's thesis, by Ashis Chakrabarti (Telegraph, Calcutta, 07/06/2001), King, queen but no place fro crown prince, by Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 07/06/2001), Journalists in treason net, by Probir Pramanik (Telegraph, Calcutta, 07/06/2001), Painted in indelible red, by Tapas Chakraborty (Telegraph, Calcutta, 07/06/2001)