Madhyapur Thimi, September 25:

Nepal Women, Children and Human Rights Forum (NWCHRF) today rescued 31 children from the Rasuwa Langtang Tiring Orphanage in Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur.

Deepak Pur Magar, general secretary of the NWCHRF, said the children were ill-treated in the orphanage. “We informed the Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB) about the miserable condition of the children, but it was not interested in taking taking responsibility of the children. We are planning to send the rescued children to their homes in Rasuwa,” he said.

According to the rescued children, Baje, patron of the orphanage, used to beat them mercilessly. “Baje used to beat us with a silver stick while we were sleeping,” nine-year-old Sunita KC told

The Himalayan Times. She said the orphanage would not look after them even when they were ill.

“Teachers of the Zenith Academy used to look after us whenever we were ill,” she said. A twelve-year-old boy, Bijaya Tamang, complained of discrimination at the orphanage. “There is no water in the orphanage. We are given beaten rice every day, while relatives of Baje feast on delicacies.” According to Tamang, dresses and toys sent by foreign donors were not given to the orphans. They are given to relatives of Baje, he said.

The rescued children have been studying in the Zenith Academy for three years. The children said they wanted to stay in the school’s hostel.

President of the orphanage Kripa Sherpa denied the

allegations and said the orphanage had been providing adequate care to all children.