KATHMANDU
Tabloids and rags carrying juicy but unsubstantiated "insidestories" about the June 1 palace massacre are filling in the informationvacuum in the Himalayan kingdom as people here remain in dark about the culprit,even after eleven days of the crime.
Overnight, two-page, unheard-of, publications with sensational headlines havehit the stands, forcing even the mainstream Nepalese and English papers such as"The Kathmandu Post" to do some 'investigative stories'.
Priced at par with mainstream papers, these tabloids are selling like hotcakes in Kathmandu valley, as people eagerly await the findings of thehigh-level panel probing into the massacre. The panel's extension by four dayson Sunday has only added to the curiosity of the people.
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Interestingly, most of the tabloids, some backed by under ground Maoists,outrightly defend late crown prince Dipendra against charges that he had killedthe royals on that fateful Friday night. Some of them also raise fingers at thenew king, in blatant violation of the country's press laws.
The infrequent weekly "Sanghu" in a bold headline says that "Dipendradied protecting his parents". The unsourced "analytical" piecequestioned as to why the injured royals were not taken to the Bir hospital,located near the Narayanhity palace, instead of Birendra Military Hospital,located far away.
The newspaper also wondered as to how Dipendra could get hold of theautomatic weapons, allegedly used in the crime, "when as per rules even theroyals have to seek their requisition." The "Prabhatkalin" in itslead story claimed that several royal members including Dipendra were shotthrice from all three sides.
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"This proves that Dipendra had not shot and killed the royals asalleged," the paper said.
The "Jan Ekta" had a ridiculous piece which wondered as to why thenew monarch Gyanendra smiled while talking to prime minister Girija Prasad Koiralaafter his enthronement while the "Satyagraha" alleged a conspiracy toframe Dipendra "as was evident from the statements given by close relativesof the royal family, Neer Shah and Capt Rajiv Shahi."
According to Ramesh Toofan, senior editor with state-run official news agencyRSS, "nobody takes these reports seriously, but it certainly gives enoughgossip material. These tabloids are always on the lookout for an event tosensationalise. The palace killings are no exception."
