French national arrested in Kathmandu airport with pistol

Kathmandu, Sep 20 (UNI) A French national was detained at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu today after security officials found a pistol in his baggage.

''During security check, we found an air pistol in a bag belonging to Frederic Lenain,'' The Himalayan Times quoted Airport's Chief Security Officer Prakash Kunwar as saying.

Lenain, 40, was detained while trying to board a Nepal Airlines flight to Bangkok.

The Frenchman had cycled through Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India before reaching Nepal, it said.

He told airport security that he was carrying the pistol for protection from animals, the security officer said. He was to be taken to Kathmandu's central police office, where a decision would be made to press charges or not, the paper quoted the official as saying.

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