Kathmandu, June 2: Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Narayanhiti Palace massacre, the tragedy that wiped out much of the family line of King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.
The massacre took place on June 1, 2001 (Jestha 19, 2058 BS). Those killed in the shooting inside the royal palace included King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Prince Nirajan Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Princess Shruti Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, Shanti Rajya Laxmi Singh, Sharada Rajya Laxmi Shah, Princess Jayanti Rajya Laxmi Shah, Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah, and Dhirendra Shah.
Several others were injured in the incident, including Komal Shah, Shobha Shahi, Kumar Gorakh Shumsher Rana, and Ketaki Chester.
A quarter century later, the palace massacre remains shrouded in controversy and unanswered questions. A high-level investigation committee led by then Supreme Court Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya and Speaker Taranath Ranabhat concluded that Crown Prince Dipendra was responsible for the killings. However, many members of the public have remained unconvinced by the findings.
According to the official investigation report, Dipendra carried out the shootings that led to the deaths of King Birendra and other members of the royal family. Yet the report’s conclusions have continued to face skepticism and debate.
Over the years, political leaders have repeatedly promised to uncover the full truth behind the palace massacre while in opposition. Critics argue that once in power, successive governments have shown little interest in pursuing further investigation into one of Nepal’s most significant and controversial events.
The massacre remains one of the most consequential and disputed episodes in Nepal’s modern history.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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