Condition of King Dipendra continues to be very critical

June 3, 2001
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Kathmandu, June 3: The condition of King Dipendra who was critically injured in a shoot-out at the Royal Palace Friday continues to be” very critical,” the latest health bulletin issued by the Palace said Sunday night.

The King’s blood pressure and pulse beat are irregular, the announcement said.
Dipendra succeeded his father King Birendra who was also killed in the shoot-out along with his mother Queen Aishwarya and six other members of the family.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala visited the Birendra Military Hospital in the outskirts of the capital Sunday and acquired information about the King and other members of the royal family injured in the shooting.

Mourning Kathmanduites placed wreaths and flowers at the portraits
of King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya in front of King Mahendra’s statute at the Durbar Marg.
World leaders continued to pay tribute to the late King. Chinese President Ziang Jemin, the last head of state to meet the King in Beijing in February, said the King visited China 10 times and
made ” unparalleled contribution” to foster Nepal China ties which will always be remembered.
Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji , the last government head to meet the King during an official visit to Nepal in May, said he still recalled the “look and smile of the King.”

At New Road, an irate crowd burnt copies of the Sunday edition of the Times of India that carried a story of the unprecedented happenings in Nepal with a picture of King Dipendra holding a rifle with the caption Prince Dipendra examining an automatic rifle in an ordinance factory in Pakistan.
Another front page photograph of Regent Prince Gyanendra had the headline: The King in Waiting.

About 100 motorcyclists with shaven heads drove around the city forcing the closure of shops and shouting slogans: Long Live Monarchy, Down with Girija, Death to Murderers. The death of the King ushers a period of uncertainty in Nepal, political analysts said. Condolence books have been kept at all 75 district headquarters for signature, the Home Ministry said. The Home Ministry asked people not to hold festivities, including marriages, for 13 days.