Kathmandu, June 2: Today is Jesth 17, the unfortunate day in the history of Nepal when the Royal Palace massacre took place killing King Birendra and his entire family at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace 24 years ago.

The day is being observed by tribute to the Royal family today.

On Friday, Jesth 17, 2058 B.S. (June 1, 2001), there was a royal family banquet at Narayanhiti Royal Palace. On that very day, King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, Crown Prince Dipendra, Prince Nirajan, Princess Shruti, King Birendra's younger brother Dhirendra, and other family members Shanti, Shraddha, Jayanti, and Shraddha's husband Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah were killed in the massacre.

The then Crown Prince Dipendra was declared king on Jesth 20. Since Dipendra was being treated in the hospital, the then regent Gyanendra Shah was declared the King’s representative.

After the announcement of Dipendra's death on Jesth 22, 2058, Gyanendra was declared king. A two-member committee consisting of then Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyay and Speaker Taranath Ranabhat was constituted to investigate and present a report.

The investigation committee reported that Crown Prince Dipendra killed everyone and then committed suicide.

To mark this sad occasion, people gather at the Jawlakhel Square in Lalitpur and offer garlands and flowers at the statue of King Birendra today.

People’s News Monitoring Service.