Report paints picture of prince's drunken rampage

Stunned Nepalese learn of the slaying from local press reports.

By CNN's Craig Francis

(CNN) -- Although details surrounding the massacre of Nepal's royal family remained sketchy Saturday, one of the country's leading newspapers, the Nepali Times painted a picture of drunken carnage that left a stunned and uncomprehending nation reeling.

According to the Nepali Times website, Crown Prince Dipendra -- who allegedly carried out the killings before shooting himself -- appeared inebriated at a family dinner and was instructed by his mother, Queen Ratna, to leave the room.

Shortly afterwards a routine gathering of the royal clan was turned into a scene of devastation wrought by a drunken prince armed with two automatic rifles.

Piecing together interviews with people close to the royal family, hospital sources and other witnesses, the Times said it had managed to shed some light on the extraordinary events surrounding the royal murders.

LINK Nepalnews.com

"Crown Prince Dipendra appeared inebriated at the dinner and was told to go and lie down," the newspaper reported.

"He left, and reportedly returned immediately with two automatic rifles. After spraying the room in a hail of bullets, he went out again, dressed up in military fatigues to continue."

"When Queen Ratna, who had earlier retired to another room, sent some (staff) to stop Dipendra, the crown prince is said to have taken a pistol and shot himself in the temple," the newspaper continued.

Life-support

With his mother, father, one sister and a brother-in-law dead, the crown prince was rushed to hospital "with a feeble pulse" alongside another sister he had shot in the abdomen.

Crown Prince Dipendra handles a weapon during a 1998 visit to a Pakistan ordinance factory

She lost her fight for life and the crown prince was said by the Times to have been declared brain dead but technically surviving with the assistance of life-support systems.

Shocked palace staff rushed the dead and wounded to the Royal Nepal Army Hospital in Chhauni, where most were declared dead on arrival.

The Royal Nepal Army Hospital in Chhauni was being guarded by hundreds of soldiers.

On the streets of Katmandu, news of the shootings was slow to emerge.

"Near the Royal palace, by mid-morning a quiet mass of about 10,000 grim-faced people had come together to find out what had happened to the royal family, the Times report said.

"But the official radio and television were silent about the tragic happenings of the night, only repeating a notice for all members of the Raj Parishad (privy council) to gather by nine for an emergency meeting."

This report was compiled from reports posted on the website Nepalnews.com on June 2, 2001