http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/876552.cms

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Royal fury: Prince bashes friend Add to Clippings

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2004 10:21:17 AM ]
NEW DELHI: Nepal's crown prince Paras just can't seem to keep out of trouble. While his father, King Gyanendra, engages in delicate peace manoeuvres with Maoists and political parties, Paras sent Kathmandu into a tizzy by beating the son of a leading Nepalese businessman Prabhakar Rana, who also happens to be a personal friend of the King.

The shocking incident happened at Hotel Everest's Galaxy discotheque where the prince was hanging out with some friends over the weekend. Paras, infamous for using his fists at the least provocation, first got into a fight with Mahendra Lahoti, son of a Rashtriya Prajatantra Party politician.

This in itself was not surprising ý Paras and Lahoti have brawled earlier at the same venue in July. But when young Sidharth Rana, who is chairman of the Soaltee Group owned by his father Prabhakar, sought to cool things down, it had the opposite effect. An enraged Paras turned on Sidharth.

Quite unmindful of the close ties the Ranas have with the palace, Paras set upon Sidharth and was soon "assisted" by his friends who could be fairly described as "aides-de-combat". As a result of the fracas, Rana junior has been hospitalised with a broken kneecap and other injuries to his legs.

Kathmandu is stunned and though a sense of resentment is evident, only hushed whispers are to be heard. This is not the first time that the crown prince has been quick on the draw.
Nepal's crown prince Paras has been regularly involved in controversy. There is talk of domestic violence which has required the King's intervention and there was a brush with security guards at a sanctuary where Paras was saved from injury by his security detail.

Given his track record, the Galaxy episode was waiting to happen. The disco at Hotel Everest is a favourite night haunt of the crown prince. Apart from the obvious discomfort this would have caused between the King and the senior Rana, the twist to the tale was provided by the prince's "friends".

It turns out they were relatives of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's wife. This has made matters difficult between the PM and Prabhakar Rana who, though not a member of a party, packs a mean political punch.

Once upon a time........ not too long ago:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/774427.cms

It's deja vu in Nepal: Prince Paras opens fire at hotel

IANS[ SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2004 11:58:44 PM ]
KATHMANDU: The Nepalese royal family, which hit the headlines in ý01 for a palace massacre, made news again with one of its members allegedly firing from a pistol in a five-star hotel. While it was the late Crown Prince Dipendra who allegedly sprayed bullets on his parents King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya and his siblings, the present Crown Prince Paras is believed to have let off four shots.

No one was injured in the incident that occurred at the Everest Hotel. After a gala dinner hosted in the palace to celebrate King Gyanendraýs 58th birthday Friday night, the heir to Nepalýs throne went to the hotelýs discotheque.

When his wife Crown Princess Himani came to pick him up, he reportedly had a tiff with a friend accompanying her and fired in the air, the Kathmandu Post reported Sunday without naming anyone.

In a front-page report titled ýRoyalty runs amok with pistol in handý, it said residents in the area were alarmed on hearing gunfire and alerted the police.
When security personnel rushed to the hotel, they saw the Prince emerging, it added.

Please bring some positive news from home. We see this kind of news everyday while turing radio and tv on or flicking newspapers be in the US, UK or Australia.