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Kathmandu Monday June 04, 2001 Jestha 22, 2058.
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King Dipendra in ‘very critical’ condition
Regent says shooting an accident
Post Report
KATHMANDU, June 3 – Two days after the Royal Palace
massacre that extinguished the lives of beloved King Birendra and seven of his family
members, all eyes were trained at the Birendra Army Hospital at Chhauni where new monarch,
His Majesty King Dipendra, has been lying in an unconscious state.
After a two-day long wait, the nation finally got to hear
what it should have heard officially long time ago - the health condition of their new
King .
The Royal Palace Press Secretariat, citing doctors’
reports, told The Kathmandu Post that King Dipendra’s condition "is still very
critical." It added that King Dipendra’s "pulse beat and blood pressure are
still unstable," providing the first real glimpse of the condition of the new
monarch. The same message had been broadcast earlier on the state-run electronic media.
The monarch has been lying unconscious at the hospital
since Friday night when he was injured in a shooting incident inside the Royal Palace. The
same incident also claimed the life of beloved late King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, Prince
Nirajan, Princess Shruti and four other family members. Several other Royal Family members
were also injured in the shooting, some seriously.
Aside from the brief health bulletin, nothing more could be
known about the health status of the new King. But all eyes are still trained on him, with
everyone – from general public to political parties - wishing the monarch a speedy
recovery.
In the evening today, His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra,
the newly-appointed Regent, Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi, Chairman of the Standing
Committee of the Raj Parishad (State Council) Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, Chief of Army Staff
Prajwalla Shumsher JB Rana and Inspector General of Police Pradip Shumsher JB Rana went to
the hospital where King Dipendra is undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, Regent Prince Gyanendra, in his message to the
countrymen this morning, said the dreadful and unanticipated incident that occurred during
a happy family gathering Friday night has deeply shocked and grieved all the Nepalese
people. The message was an attempt to quell various rumours doing the rounds inside and
outside Nepal in the absence of any official information.
Regent Prince Gyanendra added, "According to a report
of the incident received by us an automatic weapon went off suddenly, seriously injuring
His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi
Devi Shah, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and His Royal
Highness Prince Nirajan Bir Bikram Shah and other Royal Family members and
relatives."
The Regent also said, "In spite of desperate efforts
on the part of the physicians, His Majesty the King (Birendra) parted from us forever on
Friday." He further said, "As His Majesty King Dipendra is in a physically
incapacitated condition requiring intensive care and unable to assume his duties in his
capacity as the King of the Kingdom of Nepal, the responsibility of Regent of the Kingdom
of Nepal has fallen on our shoulders." He also wished a speedy recovery for King
Dipendra.
The day after the funeral of late King Birendra and his
family members, there were spontaneous demonstrations at different places in the Capital.
People displayed the portraits of the late King and the Queen and some of the famous
quotations of King Birendra like "Even if I die, my country should remain
intact". Some youth on motorcycles went around the city, shouting slogans like
"Hang the murderer "All Nepalis unite," "Our King, our country,"
and also against Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
This is an indication of the palpable sentiment of initial
shock and grief turning into anger in the absence of any concrete information as to what
precisely happened that fateful Friday night, observers say.
As the nation awaited word of the new King and the
incident, many citizens began lining up at the gates of the Narayanhity Royal Palace to
pay their respects to the deceased royalty. They held flowers and bouquets in their hands
and placed them in front of the main gate. Condolence book has been kept open at the main
gate of the palace, all the 75 district headquarters of the Kingdom and at all the Royal
Nepalese embassies abroad.
Meanwhile, body of Bodh Kumari Shah, mother of Kumar Khadga
Bikram Shah, husband of Princess Sharada, both of whom were killed on Friday in the
palace, was cremated today at the Aryaghat in Pashupatinath Temple. She had suffered a
massive heart attack after learning the news of her son and daughter-in-law’s death,
said family sources.
The last rites of Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah and Princesses
Sharada and Shanti were also performed early Sunday at the Aryaghat with due honours and
rituals.
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