Kathmandu: The Nepal government has rescued 28 Nepalese men who were working as bonded labourers in India, the country’s Ministry for Women, Children and Senior Citizens said on Friday.
A team of the ministry with the help of Indian non-government organisation ‘Keen India’ on Friday rescued the men aged between 24 and 60 from Jammu and Kashmir, where they were forced to work in risky circumstances, a statement issued by the ministry said.
The men, seven from Dhanusha and 21 from Siraha were taken to Kashmir five months ago in the pretext of providing them jobs with attractive salaries in road construction work.
The incident came to light when Saroj Ray, a social worker from Sarlahi, learned of the situation from two Nepali workers who had managed to escape from the workplace.
The Foreign Ministry, Nepali Embassy in New Delhi and ‘Keen India’ were then informed, the Kathmandu Post newspaper quoted Ray as saying.
The workers were given Rs 7,000 as advance payment by agents to win their trust, said Nabin Joshi, ‘Keen India’ President.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police at the Consular’s Office Uma Prasad Chaturvedi, efforts are underway to book the suspects and put them on trial in coordination with the police in Kashmir.
“The local police were very helpful in identifying the place where the victims were held captive and rescued them,” Chaturvedi said.
“The support of Keen India and social worker Saroj Ray became crucial to accomplish the mission,” Chaturvedi said.
The men after the rescue have now been taken to Dhanusha district in coordination with the Nepalese Embassy in Delhi, the statement said.
The statement said all 28 were on Friday handed over to the District Human Trafficking Control Committee.
However, the identity of the men has been kept secret as per legal provisions.
They have managed to contact their respective families in Nepal, the ministry statement said.
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