Two Nepali Women Rescued from Shelter Homes in India
Birgunj: Two young Nepali women who were living in different shelter homes in India have been rescued and brought back to Nepal. The rescue was led by Sunita Jairu, an official from Afant India Foundation, an organization that fights human trafficking. The women, originally from Birgunj and Dhanusha, are currently staying at a safe house in Birgunj.
The woman from Birgunj was forced into child marriage in Uttar Pradesh, India, back in 2019 when she was only 15. After years of physical and mental abuse, her mental health declined, and she left her home in 2023. She was found in a distressed state on the streets of Ayodhya. After receiving medical treatment and care at a government shelter for three years, she recovered and shared her address. This allowed the Nepali Embassy in Delhi to coordinate her rescue.
The story of the woman from Dhanusha is equally heartbreaking. Married at 18, she faced severe abuse from her husband, brother-in-law, and other family members. To escape the violence, she fled to Rajasthan, India. She stayed at a local shelter called ‘Apna Ghar’ until she was able to provide her family’s details, leading the foundation to find her.
According to Manu Rana, the head of the Birgunj branch of Afant Nepal, contact has already been made with both families. This successful rescue was made possible through the constant teamwork of the Nepali Embassy in Delhi and the Indian Police.
