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'What have you done' were the last words of King Birendra

"Kay gardeko?" (What have you done) were the last words of Nepal's King Birendra after his son and Crown Prince Dipendra opened a burst of automatic gunfire on the monarch on the night of June 1, says the latest of issue of Time magazine.

"Dipendra just looked at his father -- he said nothing -- and squeezed the trigger once," the magazine quotes 77-year-old Ravi Shumsher Rana, an uncle of the crown prince, as saying.

Rana, who is said to have been standing next to the King when he was shot, said: "The King stood there for a few seconds after the firing and then slowly sat down on the ground."

He said blood appeared on the king's shoulder and began to spread soon after.

"It was about this time that the King finally spoke," recalled Rana. "Kay gardeko," said the injured king.

The magazine, quoting eyewitness accounts, said the customary Friday night dinner had begun at 1930 hours and a 'drunk' Dipendra was taken back to his quarter from the room where the royal family had gathered at 2028 hours.

Reports from Kathmandu have spoken of Dipendra being upset over rejection of his choice of bride by his parents.

The magazine said Dipendra had turned his gun towards Prince Paras, the new King Gyanendra's son, too but spared him after Paras pleaded: "Nai Dai, Nai Dai." (No brother, no brother).

PTI

Death of a Monarch: The Complete Coverage

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