The 'probe' finally begins but the public mood is sceptical
A high-level committeeconstituted by Nepal's new king Gyanendra to probe the June 1 palace massascrefinally began its probe and it is expected to submit its report to themonarch after three days of investigations that would include inspecting theshooting site, interviewing survivors and conducting ballistic tests.
Headed by supreme court chief justice Kesbah Prasad Upadhyaya, the two-memberpanel, which include speaker of the lower house of parliament Taranath Rannbhathad earlier run into rough weather following the resignation of leader of theopposition Madhav Kumar Nepal questioning the constitutionality of thecommittee.
"We will inspect the venue of the shooting (in the palace), interviewdoctors, hostesses, survivors and record them, conduct ballistic and forensictests with the help of experts," Ranabhat said.
The probe has begun amidst allegations levelled by two close relatives of theroyal family that late crown prince Dipendra had shot and killed his father kingBirendra, mother Queen Aishwarya and seven other royals at the Naryanhity palacelast Friday night.
Asked if the panel's probe would be affected by the allegation madeyesterday by Captain Rajiv Shahi, a close relative of the royals, accusingDipendra of the palace massacre, Ranabhat said "we are not not concernedabout anything anybody says.
"The committee is an authentic body to probe the royal massacre and wewill individually interview all survivors and eyewitnesses," he said.
The Nepalese government today also criticised the eyewitnesses who havespoken to the media, saying they should have waited till the probe was over.Nepalese Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola said that eyewitnesses havejeopardised the investigation.
DrRajiv Shahi, who held a media briefing on Thursday, was taken in for questioningby the army. The charge? Holding a press conference without seeking its priorpermission. Surprising, to say the least, since the venue of his briefing to themedia was the military hospital in Kathmandu.
But the average Nepali remains sceptical about the outcome of the probe as itis being perceived as too little, too late.