KATHMANDU: The Metropolitan Police Range (MPR) nabbed five youngsters with a pistol and three bullets last night. A team from MPR arrested the youths from hotel Kailash in Jyatha, Inspector Dadhiram Neupane said.

“Police got a call from the hotel that some youngsters had come to dine and one among them was carrying a pistol in his backpack,” added Neupane. Durga Tamang (23), hailing from Jiring VDC -6 in Nuwakot district, had the pistol hidden in his backpack and was arrested with four others —Ram Kumar Tamang, Arun Tamang, Dinesh Tamang and Shyam Rokka —all hailing from Sindhupalchowk, according to Neupane.

Interestingly, an investigation into the crime by the police has found that the youths were planning to rob the hotel including the guests, informed Neupane.

According to Neupane, the youths had come to

the capital all the way from Sindhupalchowk, via Saankhu, taking about three hours to reach Kathmandu. They were planning to rob lodges, guesthouses, and restaurants at gunpoint. The youths carried a US-made pistol, Neupane added. During the course of interrogation, the youths have revealed that they bought the weapon in Sindhupalchowk from a “stranger”.