Kathmandu, June 4 – The Raj Parishad, after an emergency meeting, made a brief announcement broadcast over radio and television Monday morning at 10:30 that Prince Regent Gyanendra has been declared King of Nepal.

It added that King Dipendra had died at 03:45 in the morning at the Chhauni military hospital.

There are demonstration on the streets of Kathmandu with hijacked taxis shouting slogans like “No one can kill our king” and “We won’t accept Gyanendra as king”. Police has forcibly dispersed some of the crowds, but they have been massing at the centre of the city. The road from Kanti Path to Hanuman Dhoka Palace where the official crowning is expected to take place soon has been cleared even of bystanders.

In a message to the nation, King Gyanendra also said a thorough investigation into the massacre at the royal palace in which at least eight members of the royal family were killed would be made. He added that there had been difficulties in making that announcement earlier.