According to the police, five people fell sick after taking dinner at Harmatarti-based hotel operated by one Ran Maya Rana, 63, who is also amongst the ones who have fallen ill. 

Rana’s granddaughters Sasin Neupane, 16 and Barsha Thapa, Surchan Shrestha, 26, of Baguwa-6 and Krishna Shrestha, 24, of Baireni, Dhading fell ill after having their evening meal at their hotel.

Hotel operator Rana along with her two granddaughters has been referred to Bharatpur hospital for further medical treatment.

Locals in the area broke into the hotel after it was not open for business late Monday morning. The locals informed the police about the incident after they found the customers who had eaten in the hotel in an unconscious state. 

Meanwhile, a 45 year old female worker at the hotel has been out of contact since the incident. The locals suspect that the worker could have laced drugs in the food to rob the customers.