Two held on charge of trafficking five girls from Nuwakot

BETRAWATI: Police have arrested two persons for their alleged involvement in trafficking five adolescent girls — aged between 13 to 16 — to India.

The arrestees have been identified as Nirmal Biswakarma (23) of Bheriganga Municipality-12 in Surkhet and Bikas Pyakurel (20) of Chaughada in Likhu Rural Municipality-4 of Nuwakot.

Police investigating the missing persons case of the five girls from Nuwakot raided Biswakarma's house in Surkhet on Friday and rescued the girls held hostage there. Surkhet police also arrested Biswakarma during the raid and handed him over to Nuwakot police for further investigation on Saturday.

Likewise, acting on the statement of the captive girls, police arrested Pyakurel from Battar Bazaar, Nuwakot on Sunday.

According to District Police Office Chief Basanta Kunwar, a case related to human trafficking was registered against them on Sunday itself at the Nuwakot District Court and they have been remanded to three-day judicial custody for further investigation.

It has been learnt that the duo lured the girls, on their way to play Bhailo on Laxmi Puja, by promising them good jobs in India and transported them to Surkhet.

The rescued girls have been kept at a shelter of Women and Children Service Centre of Nepal Police.