Kathmandu, June 14
The two-member Commission probing the June 1 Narayanhiti palace tragedy in which Nepal lost its King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah, Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi and other members of the Royal family today confirmed controversial royal witness accounts holding King Dipendra responsible for all the killings.

The Commission appointed by King Gyanendra over a week ago, however, refused to spell out the motive behind the killings saying it was not within their mandate. “We had a mandate. That decided our limitations to study, to probe the facts and truth of the case,” Commission member and Speaker Taranath Ranabhat told newspersons at a chaotic press conference.

Tension mounted in the Kathmandu valley late tonight immediately after the Narayanhity massacre probe report, indicting erstwhile Crown Prince Dipendra as the killer of his father King Birendra and eight other family members, was made public as promised by new Nepal King Gyanendra 10 days ago.

The entire Capital was plunged into darkness at least thrice for varying periods and enquiries revealed that “some mischievous elements” had shut down the transformers channelling power to the Capital.

The Commission reported that the then Crown Prince Dipendra used automatic rifles and sub-machine guns in a state of intoxication and killed his parents and other members of the royal family. Minutes before he went on a shooting spree, he had spoken to Devayani Rana from his mobile phone. Experts consulted by the Commission said 47 cartridges fired from a 5.56 caliber colt m-16 A2 commando automatic rifle found at the spot can fire 700 to 100 bullets in 60 seconds. They have further opined that 29 cartridges fired from a 9mm caliber MP 5 K automatic sub-machine gun which can fire upto 900 bullets per minute.

Mr Ranabhat said the Crown Prince spoke to Devayani Rana at 8.39 pm for 32 seconds on the mobile phone as evident from records at the Telecommunications Corporation. This was conceded by Ms rana. After the call, the Crwon Prince put in Army combat dress and came out of the bed chamber with weapons where he was seen by his orderly Ramakrishna. As per the Commisison’s report, the orderly thought he was about to step out and asked whether the emergency bags be brought out. He was told that it was not necessary.

Eyewitnesses told the Commission that the Crown Prince came out in combat fatigues and armed on both sides with rifle and revolver proceeded towards the billiards hall. “He first fired at the ceiling and west wall with a 9 mm caliber MP-5K automatic sub-machine gun and then fired at the King who was then standing near the east end of the billiards table. He came out of the billiards room, threw the 12 bore SPAS 12 L French SOPA gun near the stairs to the north of the inner garden, then re entered the room aiming the 5.56v caliber Colt M-16 A2 rifle with light and telescope and fired at the King, Kumar Gorakh Shumsher Rana, Dhirendra Sahah and Khadga Bikram Shah. He again advanced to fire indiscriminately a third time hitting Princess Sharada, Princes Shanti and Princess Jayanti Shah as well as others. 

The Commission further said Prince Nirajan followed Queen Aishwarya via the pathway from the billiards room towards the inner garden to the east to a small convergence point. Shots were fired from north to south and Prince Nirajan was found lying in an unconscious state and taken to the hospital.

Kathmandu, June 14
The Nepal Government today asked the foreign media to think positively and disseminate correct information in the difficult times the country was passing through. It also expressed the hope that foreign journalists reporting the ongoing developments in Nepal will “not disseminate false and premeditated information.”

Members of the Bombay Union of Journalists shout slogans on Thursday against the arrest of Yuvraj Ghimire and two other journalists by the government of Nepal. — Reuters photo

Speaking in Nepali, Mr Joshi said the King-oriented public was naturally overwhelmed by the Narayan Hity Palace tragedy. He said people got confused by the news arising out of the incident. “Some wrath was seen among the people and we experienced that the media even exaggerated the incident. Such exaggerations can influence the situation.”