KATHMANDU, May 29: A US national picked up by two unknown persons from Thamel returned on his own, surprising the investigative officials who spent the whole day thinking it to be a case of kidnapping.
John Robert, 24, an eccentric tourist usually seen with street children, returned to Dream Home Lodge on Sunday evening, 18 hours after two persons who claimed to be soldiers, forced him to leave the lodge at midnight. [break]
Kathmandu police sprang into action after the incident was reported by the hotel owner as a kidnapping case.
According to officials who were interviewing Robert till late evening, the two stalkers, who had barged into the lodge, took him away for the sole purpose of stripping him of money.
“They threatened Robert of prosecuting him on a drug trading charge. After the tourist failed to pay a big amount immediately, they took him to the Tara Casino at Bouddha,” said officials. “He had to buy them casino coins worth 300 US dollars and was even forced to swipe another 300 US dollars from his credit card.”
“It might simply be a case of cheating by thugs associated with the casinos,” said Inspector Shiva Singh, chief of Metropolitan Police Sector Sorakhutte.
Related story
Tourist Bus Nepal app launched
-1779250876.webp)
