The Second wave of Covid 19 in India has shown the brutal Impact. This fatal virus has taken in numerous lives with devastating results across the country. In this chaotic situation, complete lockdown is the only proven effective alternative to control the increased number of Covid cases.

The border between India and Nepal is closed but only Medical Emergencies for crossing the border was kept under the Transition Category with some relief. When everyone is locked under their home with the fear of the deadly virus, one young girl was found at Sonauli Indo-Nepal Border who was trying to cross the border.

Like every day Pushpa, the staff of PGSS at the Booth staff was observing the movements of People coming from Nepal to India for some medical treatments but on the other side, she saw a young Nepali girl with fear on her face and was trying to cross the border of India. The border forces and Caritas India Partners PGSS Swaraksha Anti Human Trafficking Booth team deployed at the border at the check post as a watchdog. 

The girl Bandana (Name Changed) approached the booth staff and shared her ordeal as how an unknown person is taking her to work in the Orchestra Music Party. The incident narrated was very pathetic. She also informed that there are five more girls below the age of 18 years who are kept in the custody by the Orchestra owner and they are assaulted by him with several other physical and mental harassments.  

Orchestra band parties are the music and Dance groups that employ girls and women to entertain the folks at marriages and any cultural events. Though these orchestra groups are functional in many of these areas offer employment to women who come and join in with their wish from Nepal and in return, they get some money to take care of their families. They perform dance and songs items in the orchestra during the marriage ceremonies and other events but sometimes they undergo different kindly of molestations even sexual assault by the group members. The worst picture of these orchestras is that they employ young girls from Nepal and India who are below eighteen years of age and they are enticed for money so that they can easily be trapped and once they come in this work they come across all kind of nastiest experience where they are beaten up and mugged physically. 

After listening to the whole incidence from the girl, booth staff without wasting a single minute connected to the border forces 22nd Battalion where they coordinated with the Anti Human Trafficking Unit of the area with other govt. agencies. A joint Rescue operation was carried out to save the lives of young girls who were in the bondage of these crooks. During this surge of Covid-19 Cases where everyone was trying to save their lives from the fatal Coronavirus, the Rescue team was preparing to save the lives of the young girls. Eventually, this life-saving operation got successful and around eight lives were saved who were struggling to come out. 

There were five girls below the age of eighteen, two were adults, and one woman and a boy. After the medical examination, all these girls were handover to Nepal Police from where they all are kept in the Shelter home of OVN Nepal. Three of the Girls were found Corona Positive, so they were isolated in the home. The families of these girls were informed and they came to the shelter home to take with them. 

The Orchestra owner was sent behind the bars under Section 342 of IPC, Punishment for wrongful Confinement for one year. Though crime under this section is a bailable offense, the action taken by the team has shown the seriousness of the crime among the border forces and law enforcement agencies. It is an alert for all the Orchestra owners who are very much active in the villages of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar that they should not involve in harming the lives of young girls. Many young girls and women from Nepal willfully join these orchestra groups to earn money but they always fall prey and spoil their lives. 

During the Core Group meeting of PGSS and Caritas India team with Indo-Nepal Network stakeholders, the Nepal NGOs and Police were suggested to identify the perpetrators from Nepal who lure the family members of these young girls for money and bring them to the Orchestra and in return, they make money from them. There should be legal actions against such people so that they should fear to involve in playing with the lives of innocent and Orchestra owners also should be rigorously penalized for such kind of acts.