The Hindu : New Delhi News : Trafficking from Nepal unabated

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 14, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Trafficking from Nepal unabated

By Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI, DEC. 13. The alleged trafficking of three girls from Nepal, who are believed to have been brought to the Capital after they went missing from Chitwan on November 20, has once again brought to the fore the serious issue of trafficking of Nepalese women to Delhi and other parts of the country. Most of these victims end up in the flesh trade.

It is already an establish fact that Nepal and Bangladesh are major sources of trafficking of women to India. In the case of Nepal, it has been found that there is practically no control over immigration of Nepalese nationals to the country, owing to which there is no check on human trafficking. Also, authorities on both sides apparently do not maintain any record in this regard.

According to a survey conducted by the Institute of Social Sciences, about 40 per cent of women/minors trafficked from Nepal land up in Delhi, whereas about 42 per cent of them were trafficked to Uttar Pradesh to be transported to other areas. In these cases, the resource areas for trafficking were Rakshot, Bikhakhera, Kathmandu, Pokhra, Nepalganj, Bhaktpur, Bhagmati, Chitwan, Lumbani, Abra, Sonu, Dhandig, Parvat, Benighat and some other places in Nepal.

The survey found that apart from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Nepalese women and children are also trafficked to Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar. Most of the victims, belonging to poor families, are brought here on the pretext of providing them better jobs. It is being suspected that the three girls, who have gone missing from Chitwan, were brought here on the pretext of getting them roles in Indian movies. Lured by such offers, the victims accompany trafficking agents, who sell them off to brothel owners.

From those rescued in the recent past, the authorities concerned have come to know that several Nepalese girls were also sold off to brothels located on G.B. Road in Central Delhi.

Rishikant of Shakti Vahini, a non-government organisation working in the field of human trafficking, said it was good that the case of three girls was getting proper attention from senior officials of both countries, but they should also look into the miseries of several other such girls and women who are suspected to have landed in the net of flesh traders. "We suspect that there are over 40 Nepalese women and girls in the G.B. Road brothels from whom the police could find out how exactly they landed there," he added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi