Mahesh Acharya

Eight Jordan-bound women were rescued by Indian police from a New Delhi-based hotel on Thursday night.The women had prepared to leave for Jordan, where they were promised jobs of housemaid by their agents.A man identified as Samir Miya of Pyuthan district had accompanied the women to New Delhi and left them under the care of a Jordanian.When the Jordanian along with two Indians made sexual advances on some of the women, one of them escaped from the hotel and contacted some Nepalis running a café nearby. The café owners then contacted people from Help Nepali Mission, who in turn, informed the Indian police.

Police rescued the women and took the Jordanian and two Indians into custody. The trio was released shortly after arrest.

The rescued women came in contact of the New Delhi-based Nepali Embassy on Friday. They said they had no idea that it was illegal for Nepali women to go to Jordan for employment.

Some of the women said that Tej Bahadur Shrestha and Birendra Khanal of Lalitpur’s Hattiban had helped them take the gravy train to Jordan for jobs.

Among the women, some have already been to Lebanon and Kuwait for employment purposes in the past, while some had not even informed their family members that they were leaving for Jordan.

A primary-level selection of youths for the British army from the eastern region is slated for June 1 to July 7 in Dharan. Those who get through this selection will have to vie at the national level in Pokhara.

As the selection date is very close, many youths are likely to miss the chance to apply, given that it requires at least one month for getting an MRP.

“Many youths do not know about the new rule. Even those who know will find several hurdles in obtaining their MRP,” says Rajendra Rai, director of Ever Peak Educational and Training Centre, which trains youths for the UK army. “Therefore, this year, the number of youths applying is most likely to dwindle sharply.”

Published on: 29 May 2011 | The Kathmandu post