Police with the help of Maiti Nepal have rescued 17 children, who were being smuggled to India, from Nepal-India border in Banke district. Police said the children aged 13 to 18 from Salyan and Surkhet were being smuggled under the pretext of employment opportunity in India.

Keshab Koirala, a Maiti Nepal official said the rescued children have been kept in his office. He said that most of the children are not aware of the nature of jobs they were promised in India beforehand.

“I run away from the village, hoping to get a good job in India,” said one of the rescued children. The Maiti Nepal said the children will be handed over to their families. Police arrested the smugglers—Chanchal Roka and Indra Gharti—and are interrogating them. Police said the smugglers told them that they were lured by the commission of IRs 300 each for smuggling the children to India.

Published on: 10 December 2012 | The Kathmandu Post