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Indian couple banned from Nepal for faking Everest climb
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Up to 456 people, including more than 250 foreigners, climbed the summit of Mt. Everest during the recent spring season, after two consecutive years of deadly disasters. (Shutterstock/-)
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n Indian couple has been banned from mountaineering for 10 years by Nepal’s tourism agency for faking photographs that suggested they had climbed Mount Everest.
The agency's chief Sudarshan Prasad Dhakal recently told AFP that Dinesh and Tarakeshwari Rathod, who are both police constables, said they had reached the top of the world's highest mountain on May 23. However, fellow climbers were unsure about the claim, saying the couple’s photos at the summit, which stands at 8,848 meters, had been faked.
After previously certifying the claim, the Nepal tourism agency later decided to conduct an investigation. "Our investigation shows that the couple faked their summit. We have imposed a 10-year ban against them from climbing any mountain in Nepal," said Dhakal, adding that an analysis of the photos showed they had superimposed themselves and their banners onto pictures taken by other Indian climber. The couple reportedly did not cooperate during the investigation, and the two Sherpas who helped them could not be found.
(Read also: 'Sherpa' marvels at Mt. Everest from a spiritual point of view)
Following the incident, the country's Tourism Ministry is considering revising procedures for such claims. "We will consult experts to see what technologies or processes we can use and make every party more responsible to prevent such false claims in the future," said ministry spokesperson Ghanshyam Upadhayaya.
Mountaineering is a major revenue-earner for the Himalayan nation. Up to 456 people, including more than 250 foreigners, climbed the summit of Mt. Everest during the recent spring season, after two consecutive years of deadly disasters. (kha/kes)
