Palace Massacre In Nepal

Nine Die In Shooting, Including King And Queen
Crown Prince Slew Family, Then Self
Queen Opposed Prince's Choice Of Bride


KATMANDU, Nepal, June 2, 2001
(AP) A shootout inside the Narayanhiti Royal Palace on Friday left at least nine members of Nepal's royal family dead, including the king and queen, police and military sources said.

Crown Prince Dipendra, 30, opened fire and shot all the members of the royal family including King Birendra, Queen Aiswarya and Prince Nirajan, the sources said. He later shot himself.

According to the sources, the shooting was caused by a dispute over the marriage of the prince because his mother, the queen, reportedly objected to his choice of bride.

The crown prince, educated at Britain's Eton College, was heir to the throne.

King Birendra, the constitutional monarch, was stripped of power in 1990 through a popular people's movement.

Other details were not immediately available.

-from www.cbsnews.com (http://www.cbsnews.com)

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-Will

America has school shootings and other countries have palace shootings. Strange.

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-Will

I read another article on that...it feels weird. I mean they were quoting military sources on what happened and the reasons they were feeding for why the Prince did it was that he had an argument with his mother over his fiance.

I wouldn't question it except for the military angle...it just doesn't feel right. Eh, I guess it's probably truth but it doesn't really play out as near as I can tell though. I guess shootings rarely do...

The Prince that did the shooting has now been declared the King since the job has been opened up by his late father. But since he is in a coma (caused by a self inflicted gunshot), his brother (who was gone at the time fo the shooting) has been appointed Regent to rule in his place.

I just don't think it seems right, kid shots his family and becomes King of the country. But since, by law he is the heir, it happens.

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-Will

It doens't feel right, but that IS how ALL monarchy's have worked.

The military angle does bother me, anyone think maybe they didn't like the ruling king?

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Manu Narayan

Originally posted by Manu:
The military angle does bother me, anyone think maybe they didn't like the ruling king?

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It's kind of a moot point now I guess, the Brother of the king is king now since the Son finally died...it still seems weird.