Post Covid-19 situation at the Indo-Nepal border is emerging as a threat for those who are easily entrapped for good  Jobs and marriages with the hefty amount in return and with these false promises these vulnerable people are ready to move with the perpetrators putting their lives into peril and becoming the victims of Human Trafficking. Every morning at the Indo-Nepal border interception booth partner staff under the Swaraksha Anti-Human Trafficking (AHT) Program of Caritas India gets ready for the surveillance of the suspected peoples at Transition points. They are always watching the movements of the people and once they come across any suspected movement they intercept to save innocent lives from being Trafficked.

15th February 2021 was like any other normal day but the team was unaware of the information regarding one suspected case of Human Trafficking that will make them work the whole night. This information was related to one young Girl Chanda (Name Changed ) from Bardiya Nepal who was lured for marriage by a man from a bordering village from India and was taken away from Nepal and reached India where he kept the girl in some village.

Chanda, a 14-year-old girl was missing for 3 days as informed by her father and uncle to the SSB officials. The perpetrator is a 21-year-old from  Baharaich, India informed her guardian to the SSB personnel with his name, number and address.

After three days of investigation, the SSB officials were unsuccessful in tracing and the situation was informed to the Childline-Baharaich. The Childline took immediate action and informed the Police Department. The Police put the perpetrator number on the Surveillance system and traced down the location. It was 16th February 2021, 3:30 AM, when the Police team reached the address and caught the person and rescued the minor girl Chanda.

In the counselling process, Chanda told DEHAT, the partner team members that the accused  Bablu’s (Name Changed) uncle worked in Nepal and she met him while she used to go the stitching classes. Bablu shared his mobile number so that they can talk. Within a month this guy  Bablu lured Chanda and eloped with her. On the 12th of February, Chanda went to a nearby market without telling her family and instead of taking the guarded route to India which includes several check posts, Chanda crossed the border through fields as instructed by Bablu. When she crossed the border, she met Bablu and from there they went to Bablu’s native place. On the 15th of Feb, they both got married in front of all the villagers where he was hiding the girl. On the Information Partners team with her uncle and Tiny hands, Nepal staff visited Khairee Police Station to file FIR against Bablu but the situation was critical her uncle was not ready to file FIR due to fear and legal complications, He was planning to withdraw the case but Swaraksha Anti-human Trafficking Program supported by Caritas India  Program coordinator pursued the family and ensured for all kind of legal support in prosecution. Finally, after a lot of conversation, the girl’s family agreed to file an FIR.

The FIR was filed by Childline Baharaich as a plaintiff for the case under the IPC section 370- Human Trafficking, 376 -Sexual Assault, and 363-Kidnapping. The medical reports proved that Chanda was assaulted Sexually.

Once the case was registered by Police the family of the accused stopped the vehicle of the Partners Team for the forceful negotiation but they told they can’t do anything and overall Police have already filed the case in several sections so finally, the family understood that they are helpless now. Till today the accused is in Prison.

The Covid-19 has given birth to the different trends of Human trafficking and the Partners working at the Indo-Nepal border don’t want to take a chance of anyone being Trafficked. Hence rigorous meetings are been carried out with Police and border forces. In the series of meetings with law enforcement agencies, Purvanchal Gramin Sewa Samiti succeeded in organizing the SJPU meeting in the district through their efforts triggered with the Police officials in the District. Simultaneously PGSS also coordinated with the Police team to place one Register for missing children in every police station so that the cases can be easily traced out and the victims can be saved from being Trafficked.

The decision taken under the SJPU monthly meeting to maintain a register that is specifically for children and child-related cases in every police station in Maharajganj district was facilitated by SWARAKSHA AHT team intervention officer following the request of   Additional Superintendent of Police, Maharajganj. The register related to children was made to be in place by the intervention officer of the Swaraksha program from PPGSS Gorakhpur. The Child Welfare Police Officers at Bargadwa Bazar Police Station, Parasmalik Police station, Sonauli Police station and Nautanwa police station were oriented on the register to be maintained. The decision to create a register relating to children was taken at the monthly meeting of the SJPU. AHTU In charge of Maharajganj district and child Protection officer of Maharajganj district were also part of the initiative.

The Continuous Actions after the Impact of Covid -19 at border villages from Caritas Partners under Swaraksha AHT Program to combat Human Trafficking at Indo-Nepal border will somehow foil intentions of Traffickers and many lives will be saved from being Trafficked.