June 1, The day of Royal Palace Massacre

KATHMANDU: JUNE 2 – It has been 20 years since the Narayanhiti Palace massacre that led to the annihilation of the then King Birendra.

On the evening of 1^st June 2001, the then King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and his family including Queen Aishwarya, Prince Dipendra and Nirajan and Princess Shruti Shah were killed inside the Narayanhiti palace. Prince Dhirendra, Princess Jayanti, Princess Shanti, Princess Sharada, Kumar Khadga and other members of the royal family were also killed in the massacre.

The Durbar Massacre Investigation Commission formed under the convenership of the then Speaker Taranath Ranabhat had made public the report that Prince Dipendra had killed the royal family. However, the general public still does not seem to be convinced of the report.

After the massacre of the dynasty of Birendra, who created the image of a liberal king, the monarchy did not last long in Nepal. After King Birendra, his brother Gyanendra Shah ascended the throne. He has become the last king in the history of Nepal. Seven years after the massacre, the end of the monarchy was announced on 28 May 2008.