Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has said that it has found no evidence to support claims that foreign substances were mixed into trekkers’ food to stage emergency rescues.
In a statement on Friday, the specialised investigation unit of the Nepal Police said its attention had been drawn to reports on alleged “fake rescues” published by various media outlets. “The CIB has taken serious note of news published in national and international media regarding the ‘fake rescue’ of tourists. According to these reports, some guides allegedly mixed foreign substances into the food and drinks of tourists, causing them to fall ill, and then staged rescues,” the statement said. “However, in the course of the investigation conducted so far, no evidence has been found to support claims that any foreign substances were mixed into food items.”
The CIB has urged media outlets not to publish or disseminate what it called irresponsible and unverified reports.
The clarification comes after several media outlets, citing ongoing investigations, reported that guides were allegedly lacing trekkers’ food with substances to induce illness and then arranging rescue operations in collusion with helicopter operators, trekking agencies, and hospitals.
