Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev

Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (27 June 1971 – 4 June 2001) was a member of the Nepalese Royal Family, who briefly reigned in coma as King of Nepal from 1 June to 4 June 2001. The Official report submitted by the investigation team formed by the local government tells that, as the Crown Prince, he killed his family at a royal dinner on 1 June 2001, including Birendra of Nepal, the Nepali king and his own father. The report also states that Dipendra was also mortally wounded by a self-inflicted gunshot to the side of the head. After the murder of his father, he officially became king for three days as he lingered in a coma.
Dipendra received his early education at Budhanilkantha School, Kathmandu. He also studied at Eton College in England. After Eton, he attended Tribhuvan University in Nepal and later joined the Military Academy, Kharipati. He studied for his master's degree at Tribhuvan University and was a PhD student in the same University. He was known to have been skilled in karate.
Official reports state that Dipendra assassinated family members because of anger over a marriage dispute.^[1] Dipendra's choice of a bride was Devyani Rana, daughter of Pashupati SJB Rana a member of the Rana clan, against whom the Shah family of kings have a historic animosity. In recent times, though, Shah kings and princes have married almost exclusively members of the Rana family. The Rana clan had served as the hereditary prime ministers of Nepal until 1951 under the title 'Maharaja', and the two clans have a long history of inter-marriages.
According to official accounts, Dipendra was denied his choice of a wife by his mother Aiswarya, and so he massacred his family in a much-publicised incident after indulging in a drinking binge. Among the dead were his father King Birendra, mother, brother, and sister. Dipendra survived comatose for three days, and was proclaimed King in his hospital bed. He died of his injuries on 4 June and was succeeded by his uncle, Prince Gyanendra. ^[2]