American tourist kidnapped, ransom demanded, one held
The 70-year-old woman went missing last Sunday, and a 37-year-old woman.
KATHMANDU: An American tourist who came to Nepal for sightseeing was kidnapped while visiting the Muktinath Temple.
The 70-year-old woman went missing last Sunday, and a 37-year-old woman named Sarita Lama from Belkotgadhi Municipality-3, Nuwakot, has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The woman, who had been staying at a hotel in Pokhara’s Lakeside area, was taken by Lama to Hetauda.
Lama, who had known the woman previously, allegedly held her hostage and demanded a ransom of 300,000 euros.
The victim reported the incident to the U.S. Embassy in Nepal, which, after receiving the information, notified local authorities on Tuesday.
In response, the Kaski District Police Office, the Central Investigation Bureau, and the Makwanpur District Police Office launched an operation to locate the woman.
After a search, the kidnapped American woman was rescued from Newar Pani in Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-19, as confirmed by Inspector Avinashdeep GC, the acting information officer of the Kaski District Police Office.
During initial interrogation, it was revealed that Lama had promised to take the woman to her home before taking her to Hetauda.
The woman involved in the incident has been remanded for an additional seven days by the Kaski District Court on Wednesday for further investigation.
She is being investigated for charges of kidnapping and unlawful detention.
