POKHARA: Police have arrested a Pastor from Pokhara on Monday for misleading followers with baseless information on COVID-19.

The arrested has been identified as Keshab Raj Acharya, permanently from Jumla and currently residing in ward no 29 of the metropolis.

The pastor was heard saying that COVID-19 could do nothing to followers of Jesus Christ, at a time when people are panicking regarding the hard-to-control epidemic.

SP Dan Bahadur Karki of District Police Office, Kaski said that Acharya was in police custody and preparation is underway to take action against him. Police said that the he might be sent to prison for six months.

Acharya was addressing a congregation of residents of squatters’ area in Talchowk, telling them that the virus, which is highly contagious and has lead to deaths of over 15000 people, could not even touch the followers of Jesus.