KATHMANDU: Police have refuted allegations that they took oxygen cylinders that were ready to be taken to the hospital for personal use.

In a statement issued Friday, the police clarified that the oxygen cylinders, which were being prepared to be taken to hospital on Thursday, was not taken for personal use.

In the statement, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Prakash Adhikari, said there was no truth in the allegation that the police were carrying cylinders for personal use and that such misleading and exaggerated allegations against the organization, which has been working day and night, were unfortunate in these times when the country was in the second grip of coronavirus pandemic.

Santosh Poudel, director of the Trauma Center in Kathmandu, wrote a status on Facebook saying that the trauma center did not get the oxygen it was supposed to get as high-ranking police officials took them. He had quoted the conversation with the owner of the oxygen manufacturing company in his status.