Angry protestors in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu burned Indian newspapers Sunday for carrying reports holding their crown prince responsible for the deaths of the king, queen and six other royals.
Witnesses said crowds seized Indian dailies from newspaper stalls and distributors and set them on fire.
Ironically, the protestors' anger appeared to have been fuelled by their own government's reluctance to offer a full and credible account of the circumstances surrounding Friday night's deaths at the royal palace.
After burning the newspapers, they also shouted slogans demanding a full and impartial probe into the tragedy.
Meanwhile, more than 500 motorcycle riders protested in the capital with similar demands for an inquiry.
Crown Prince Dipendra, who has been declared king following the death of his father Birendra, is widely suspected of being the gunman behind the palace massacre.
However, in the absence of any official confirmation, Nepalese newspapers have been extremely circumspect in their reporting of the incident.
Public sentiment here towards India has always carried a degree of resentment over the giant neighbour's perceived "big brother" attitude towards Nepal.
(China Daily 06/04/2001)
