3 mins read

How 57 Nepalis Were Held Hostage in India

3 weeks ago
How 57 Nepalis Were Held Hostage in India

In a shocking case of human trafficking, 57 Nepali citizens from 18 districts were rescued from Rudrapur and Kashipur in India. They were lured with promises of good jobs and salaries, only to be locked inside houses with poor food and no freedom. Most of them were young and unemployed, like 13-year-old Man Bahadur BK from Kailali, who borrowed money against his family land and traveled to India after being promised a job in packing with ₹23,000 salary and good meals.

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Instead, he found himself trapped without a phone, forced to live in poor conditions, and watched constantly. Like him, Bishal Budhathoki from Kaski and his brother Suman also ended up in a similar situation, sent to Kashipur where they were beaten and tortured. They were promised easy jobs and daily meat meals, but ended up locked in rooms, forced to recruit more Nepalis using their phones.

The rescue operation became possible after 27-year-old Som Limbu from Taplejung died while in captivity a month ago. That case reached Nepal’s Home Ministry and then the Embassy in Delhi. Once alerted, the NGO KIN India and Uttarakhand Police started tracking the locations. In Kashipur, 35 people were rescued first. The next day, another 22 were saved from a hidden house in the jungle, 30 kilometers away from Rudrapur.

Birendra Shahi from Doti, identified as the main operator, was arrested along with Manish Tiwari. They had been running this human trafficking ring since 2018, collecting money from Nepalis and forcing them to bring more victims. In some houses, up to 32 people were held in just three rooms. At one point, they were made to call family while surrounded by bouncers to stop them from asking for help.

According to rescue team leader Navin Joshi, some captives even escaped through fields. Many others are believed to be hiding as news of the rescue spread. Authorities now suspect more such locations across Uttarakhand.

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The rescued Nepalis were brought home through Gaddachauki border on Wednesday. They were welcomed by top officials including Chief District Officer Laxman Dhakal and Sudurpaschim Police Chief Dambar Bahadur Bishwakarma. Local businesses provided food and shelter in Mahendranagar, while Mahakali Yatayat helped arrange transportation to their homes.

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