As many as 122 women and girls were rescued from the border in the last two months and  four traffickers were arrested in three months

Nepalgunj, October 6

Kalu Luwar, 16, (name changed) of Khalanga, Rukum, was promised a stable job in India by a broker.

Luwar was taken to Nepalgunj from her home. She was asked to tell police personnel that she was going to Rupadiya to purchase goods. Kalu boarded a rickshaw while the broker crossed the border on a motorbike to meet her at Rupadiya Bus Park on the other side.

At the border, upon interrogation by police personnel and Maiti Nepal staff, Kalu admitted that she was leaving for India with a broker. She was handed over to her family later.

Similarly, a 19-year-old girl from Tarawan, Bardiya, was rescued by Nepal Police from Rupadiya while she was being taken to India with a promise of a job in a gulf country.

A member of Maiti Nepal, Nepalgunj, said that in some cases, girls and women come to the border alone, while others pretend to be husband and wife while crossing the border.

Jamuna Area Police Office, Nepagunj, informed that up to 15 women and girls between the ages of 16 to 40 are rescued daily at the border.

Most victims are from Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Rolpa, Dailekh, Dang, and Salyan.

Of late, the Rupadiya border point has grown into a major transit point for human trafficking to India.

Inspector Pramod Kumar Kshetry at Area Police Office Rupadiya said that as many as 122 women and girls were rescued from the border in the last two months.

Four traffickers were held and cases were filed against them in three months, said Kshetry. “We have tightened security checks. Despite this, some girls are still trafficked to India,” Kshetry added.

Chief of Maiti Nepal Nepalgunj Keshavraj Koirala said that traffickers were using Nepalgunj as it was easy to cross the border via Rupadiya border point.

Koirala attributed poverty, ignorance, and unemployment as actors contributing to incidents of women and girls falling victims to brokers/traffickers.

“Some women are sold in India while some are trafficked to Gulf countries via India,” Koirala added.