Jhapa, July 10

Jhapa district headquarters Bhadrapur area has turned into a transit point for human trafficking, of late.

The incident came to light after some agents lured girls and women from different parts of the country with promises of good jobs in foreign lands and took them to Bhadrapur.

The agents would then send them to foreign lands through India.

The concerned authority said that some criminals were more actively involved in human trafficking in Bhadrapur area.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team deployed from Ward Police Office Bhadrapur had arrested two people from Bhadrapur with nine passports some days ago. The police team had rescued two girls from them.

The arrested has been identified as Ganesh Bahadur Lawati, 38 of Bayerban VDC, Morang.

DSP Hari Prasad Sharma of District Police Office, Jhapa, said that Bishnu Maya Magar (Sandhya), 23, and Devi Limbu, 24, of Dharan Sub-metropolis, Sunsari were rescued from being trafficked.

Sharma said that Lawati was a manpower agent and was trying to take the girls to other countries through Delhi, India.

Usha Magar, 53, of Bhadrapur Municipality was also arrested for her supposed involvement in the same case, but was released after police could not find any evidence against her, said DSP Sharma.

He further informed that the rescued girls were handed over to an organisation Sana Hat Nepal, Bhadrapur.

Similarly, Bina Oli, 33, of Phattepur VDC, Banke and Hira Maya Tamang, 21, of Narjamandal VDC, Nuwakot were rescued by Sana Hat Nepal from the border area on June 29 and handed over to police.

Manila Katwal (Shrestha), 36, of Bhadrapur had allegedly taken the duo to Jhapa from Kathmandu, promising them better jobs in other countries.

Police had seized three citizenship certificates from Katwal.

Police said that the three women have been handed over to Maiti Nepal Kakadbhitta after police investigation.

Sana Hat, Bhadrapur Nepal has rescued as many as 76 women from being trafficked.

Chairman Jagat Wagle of the organisation said that 17 agents were also arrested for their involvement in human trafficking.

Meanwhile, Jhapa Police had arrested 26 persons for their involvement in human trafficking while as many as 30 women were rescued this fiscal.

DSP Sharma said that action has been taken against the arrested.