Sixteen Nepali nationals who were held hostage and forced to work at a poultry farm in the Indian state of Haryana have been rescued and returned home. They were brought to Janakpur on Tuesday. Work is underway to hand them over to their relatives on Wednesday.

Among those rescued, 7 are children under the age of 18. According to Binod Kumar Khati, Director of the Why India Foundation, New Delhi, they were taken to India with the promise of employment and then forced to work for months. During this, it has been revealed that they were subjected to physical and mental torture and were not even paid properly.

According to Khati, based on information received from the Bardibas Area Police Office, Mahottari, a rescue operation was launched in coordination with the Nepali Embassy, ​​New Delhi, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit under the Crime Branch of Haryana Police and the concerned agencies of the Indian Government. Through this operation, 16 Nepali citizens were safely rescued from a poultry farm in Matanhel under Jhajjar district of Haryana.

During the initial investigation, it has been revealed that the victims were taken to India by promising them good-paying jobs in different districts of Nepal. They were attracted by brokers and labor suppliers targeting family members who were financially weak and facing unemployment problems. After reaching India, they were forced to do hard labor on a poultry farm without being paid for the work and salary agreed upon.

Quoting the victims, the agency said they were not allowed to leave freely. They have complained that they were subjected to verbal abuse, threats, and mental pressure when they refused to work, and in some cases, even physical abuse. Not only were they not paid regularly, but their food and housing conditions were also extremely deplorable.

Initial investigations have revealed that children were also forced to work and deprived of their basic rights to education and child rights. Indian security agencies have said that they have initiated further investigations on suspicion of serious violations of human trafficking and child labor laws.

Following the rescue operation, the poultry farm operator and the contractor involved in supplying labor have been arrested. Action has been taken against them under the legal provisions related to human trafficking, forced labor, and labor exploitation. In addition, about 200,000 rupees have been provided as arrears of wages due to the victims for their work.

All the rescued Nepali citizens were initially kept under the protection of the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi for necessary security, health check-ups, psychosocial counseling and legal procedures. After completing the necessary paperwork in coordination between the embassy, ​​Indian agencies and the Kin India Foundation, they were returned to Nepal.

They were brought to Nepal under the leadership of the Kin India Foundation's Rescue Officer Man Bahadur. Preparations are underway to hand over the citizens who have returned home to their families through the District Police Office, Mahottari in the presence of the Chief District Officer of the District Administration Office, Mahottari, Nepal Police and the concerned stakeholders.