Rana Bahadur Shah killed; Bhandarkhal massacre
- When
- 1806
- Where
- Tribhuvan Khawas's house; Bhandarkhal garden and Bishnumati river bank
- Episodes
- 2
On 25 April 1806, former King Rana Bahadur Shah was killed by his half-brother Sher Bahadur Shah during a late-night meeting in Kathmandu. This assassination triggered the Bhandarkhal garden massacre, orchestrated by Kaji Bhimsen Thapa, resulting in the execution of Sher Bahadur's faction and consolidating Thapa's power as Mukhtiyar.
Episodes
- Assassination at Tribhuvan Khawas's House
Sher Bahadur Shah killed Rana Bahadur Shah during a late-night meeting on 25 April 1806, leading to immediate retaliation by courtiers.
- Bhandarkhal Garden Massacre
Following the assassination, Bhimsen Thapa instigated a massacre in Bhandarkhal garden, executing members of Sher Bahadur's faction and King Prithvipal Sen.
Background and detail
Assassination. At approximately 10 pm, Sher Bahadur Shah, acting in desperation, drew a sword and killed Rana Bahadur Shah. Sher Bahadur was immediately cut down by nearby courtiers Bam Shah and Bal Narsingh Kunwar, who were allies of Bhimsen Thapa. The killing occurred during a dialogue involving British contacts, which Tribhuvan Khawas intended to reveal.
Bhandarkhal Massacre. The assassination triggered a massacre in Bhandarkhal garden and at the Bishnumati river bank. Members of Sher Bahadur's faction, including Bidur Shah, Tribhuvan Khawas, and Narsingh Gurung, were rounded up and killed. King Prithvipal Sen of Palpa, who was under house arrest in Patan Durbar, was also swiftly rounded up and killed. Bhimsen Thapa instigated this purge as an investigation into the death, and the massacre lasted for two weeks.
People involved
- Rana Bahadur Shah · Former King of Nepal
- Sher Bahadur Shah · Half-brother and assassin
- Bhimsen Thapa · Kaji and instigator of massacre
- Tribhuvan Khawas · Owner of the house where the meeting was held; killed in Bhandarkhal massacre
- Bam Shah · Courtier who killed Sher Bahadur
- Bal Narsingh Kunwar · Courtier who killed Sher Bahadur
- Prithvipal Sen · King of Palpa, victim, under house arrest in Patan Durbar
Sources
- 1806 Bhandarkhal massacre Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-02
- Rana Bahadur Shah Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-30
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.