DHADING: Eight women and one man were brought into police custody on Wednesday evening from Dharke, Dhunibeshi Municipality-6 in Dhading district under the suspicion of human trafficking.

According to Jiwan Niraula, Chief of Area Police Office at Khanikhola, they were taken into police custody when all of them, who had reached Dharke in different buses, were found to be waiting at the same place for another bus.

They had crossed Nagdhunga check point-- where a Maiti Nepal team conducts checks for suspicious activities -- in different buses.

Police said that Maiti Nepal team frisked the persons on the suspicion of human trafficking as they seemed to be travelling to India together.

According to Niraula, the suspect Prasad Bishwakarma (35) of Ghorahi, Dang was taken into police custody along with the eight women.

Police further said that the ages of the women ranged between 22 to 38 years. They were found to be residents of different districts including Nuwakot, Makawanpur, Ilam ,Terhathum, Kavre, Sankhuwasabha, Sindhuli, and Rautahat.

Among the eight women, five were travelling abroad for the first time while the other three had travel experiences from before. None of the women showed any signs of knowing the man who appeared to be travelling with them.

The arrestees were taken to Maiti Nepal, Nagdhunga for further investigations. From there they have been sent to the central office of Maiti Nepal at Gaushala.

An investigation is underway with the joint coordination of the police and the organization, according to Padam Basnet, Supervisor at Nagdhunga-based Maiti Nepal office.