KATHMANDU: Today marks the completion of 23 years since the tragic Narayanhiti Palace Massacre, which brought an end to the reign of the late King Birendra Shah’s dynasty.
However, the details of this event remain veiled in mystery.
On the night of June 1, 2001, inside the Narayanhiti Royal Palace, King Birendra, along with Queen Aishwarya, Crown Prince Dipendra, Prince Nirajan, Princess Shruti, Princess Shanti, Princess Sharada, Princess Jayanti, Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah, and Prince Dhirendra Shah were fatally shot.
Among the survivors of the massacre were Komal Shah, Shobha Shahi, Kumar Gorakh Shamsher, and Ketaki Chester.
Although the High-Level Probe Committee led by former Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyay and Speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat concluded in its public report that the then Crown Prince Dipendra was the perpetrator, the general public has not accepted this conclusion.
The demand to uncover the truth behind this unresolved mystery is growing, necessitating further investigation into the massacre.
Despite assurances from various political leaders that the government would prioritize resolving the mystery surrounding the massacre once they assume office, no concrete steps have been taken after assuming power.
Former Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, who became Prime Minister for the first time after the establishment of the republic, had pledged to unearth the truth behind the Narayanhiti Massacre.
However, even after three terms as Prime Minister, he has not taken any significant steps in this regard.
The public is still waiting for convincing details of the tragic event.
Political leaders promise to probe the issue and bring the truth to the public while ousted from power, but once they reach power, they forget their promises.
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