Key Takeaways:

• Twenty-five children rescued at Gaddachauki border
• Children were reportedly being taken to Dehradun in India
• Indian border personnel returned the children to Nepal
• Police investigating circumstances of the cross-border movement

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 16 Twenty-five children under the age of 10 were rescued at the Gaddachauki border after they were reportedly being taken to Dehradun, India, to study the Tibetan language, prompting an investigation by Nepali authorities. The children, all from Simkot Rural Municipality-8 in Humla, were returned to Nepal after being stopped by Indian border personnel at the Banbasa checkpoint, according to police. The children are currently being kept under the supervision of authorities in Gaddachauki while further inquiries are conducted. Police said they are verifying the circumstances under which the children were being taken across the border and whether all legal procedures had been followed. Authorities identified Panchabir Budha as the person accompanying the children during the journey. Investigators are gathering additional details as part of an ongoing inquiry. The incident has drawn attention to cross-border movement involving minors and the need for verification of travel and guardianship arrangements when children are taken abroad.