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Surkhet Police arrested 36-year-old Namgel Chiring Lama of Simkot Rural Municipality-3 from Tinkune Chowk, Birendranagar Municipality-11 on 3 June for allegedly involving in trafficking of children. It is reported that police suspected him of practicing human trafficking while he was taking 28 Children from Mugu and Humla in Karnali to Kathmandu under the pretense of taking them to monastery for education.

 

However, Lama claims that he had obtained a recommendation from the ward office to take the children to Kathmandu. He asserts that he was acting at the request of their parents to provide the children with education. The children were brought by bus from Mugu to Surkhet to take them to Kathmandu. Additionally, In his initial statement to the police, he said, ‘I am a person born and brought up in Humla and studied in a monastery. I was taking the children for the sake of their future. I brought them after receiving permission and a recommendation from the ward and I have no other intention’.

DSP Birendrabir Bishwakarma of the District Police Office, Surkhet, stated that Lama was arrested and the investigation has been initiated as he was attempting to take the children away without completing the proper process. According to him, out of the 28 children, 16 are girls and 12 are boys. The ward office recommended 26 of the children, while two did not have recommendations. Among the children, 10 are from the Dalit community, and 18 are from the Janajati and Chhetri communities. Specifically, five children are from Kharpunath in Humla, five from Adanchuli, five from Sarkegad, 11 from Soru Rural Municipality in Mugu, and two from Jumla.

The children are currently kept in the safe house of Awaaj Nepal Surkhet. The police records show that there are children between the ages of four and 13 years kept in the organization.

Lama claims that he intended to take the children to Kathmandu to provide them with upbringing and education in monasteries like Boudha, with the consent of their families. However, this action is against the Act Relating to Children Act 2018. Likewise, If there’s a need for protection, permission from the relevant agency and consent from the parents are necessary. However, Lama hasn’t completed any legal process apart from obtaining a recommendation from the ward.On the other hand, the families of the children have admitted to the police that they sent the children with their own consent.

Police statistics show that the number of children going missing from Karnali has been increasing since the last few years. According to the Provincial Police Office Surkhet, from August to October of the financial year 2023/2024, a total of 42 boys and 54 girls went missing from Karnali. Among them, 13 boys and 11 girls remain unfound.

Similarly, in the financial year 2022/2023, a concerning total of 414 children were reported missing across 10 districts of Karnali. According to the statistics, 56 boys and 122 girls were from Surkhet, 11 boys and 36 girls from Dailekh, 10 boys and 18 girls from Jajarkot, 15 boys and 22 girls from Salyan, 12 boys and 14 girls from Rukum West, 13 boys and 13 girls from Kalikot, five boys and three girls from Humla, 14 boys and six girls from Mugu, two boys and four girls from Dolpa, 14 boys and 24 girls from Jumla.

Among the 414 children reported missing, the police have successfully located 132 boys and 245 girls. However, 20 boys and 17 girls are yet to be found.

Jagatdal Janala BK