Altogether 246 women at risk of trafficking were rescued from various four bordering points and one counseling centre in Banke district in the last fiscal year 2021/22.The Peace Rehabilitation Home from its four branches and one counseling centre at Suiya, Khadaiya, Sheupuri and Jamunaha and Kohalpur rescued 32 women from Banke and Bardia each, 28 from Dang and 24 from Surkhet district.

Similarly, 20 women were rescued from Jajarkot and women in same number from Salyan, 16 from Rukum Paschim, 12 from Kailali and 11 from Dolakha. The House rescued 10 each from Rolpa and Kalikot and five from Jumla district, informed regional coordinator of the House, Bhumiraj Bhattarai.

The rescued ones are aged between 16-25 years. Stating that human trafficking was a very complex issue, Bhattarai informed that the House was lately stepping up surveillance in Lumbini Province’s 14 bordering points with India as well as rehabilitation for the rescued ones.

Similarly, during the period, five alleged traffickers were brought under the ambit of justice, cases of human trafficking were lodged against two persons and rape case against another two and a case of human trafficking and rape was registered against a person at the District Police Office in Banke district. The Home said it faced various ordeals including paper-related hassle with security agencies and issues at policy level to bring back those women at risk of trafficking.

The traffickers, who are a part of huge racket, were also resorting to new tricks to smuggle women to India such as making them wear burqa and migrating them to India in the name of networking business, added Nirmal Subedi, district coordinator of the House.