BIRATNAGAR: Police held four girls along with an agent at Jogbani entry point today. The police detained them on an allegation that the agent was to sell the girls in the Indian cities in pretext of sending them to Kuwait for employment. Security personnel and representatives of various organisations working against girl trafficking have increased their vigil in the area as incidents of trafficking via Jogbani point is on the rise recently.

Security personnel deployed in the area for border security have succeeded to rescue the girls with the help of Sana Hatharu Nepal, an organisation working against trafficking. Security guard of the organisation Posta Kumar Shrestha said that the girls could be rescued as different organisations and security forces had increased their vigil in the border area. The girls are identified as Susmita Pariyar, 18, Arati Nepali, 18, Punam Gurung, 19, and Kamala Pariyar,20, hailing from Pokhara. Bimal Pariyar of Pokhara itself and an Indian national Bhola were taking the girls to Mumbai in India via Jogbani.

The traffickers have started using the Jogbani entry point as there is a direct train service from Jogbani to Delhi of India. Susmita said, “They told us that we will have to go Kuwait after staying for 10-12 days in Mumbai,” adding, “My mother wanted me to go for foreign employment to earn money.” All the girls lamented that they were going for foreign employment due to poverty. All the girls have been kept in the office of Sana Hatharu. Member of the organisation Bhairabi Bhatta said, “We will host them here until their guardians come here to receive them.”