Police arrested two alleged human traffickers from Nagdhunga, Chandragiri Municipality, yesterday, and foiled their trafficking bid.

They have been identified as Bhuwan Tamang, 31, of Khandadevi Municipality-2 in Ramechhap and Aaite Bahadur Lopchan, 29, of Khanikhola Rural Municipality-1 in Kavre. Acting on a specific tip-off provided by Maiti Nepal, police stopped a bus heading to Jhapa and arrested the duo besides rescuing a 20-year-old woman. Police said Tamang and Lopchan had lured the woman to go to Birtamod with them, promising her a decent job there. They had planned to traffic the woman to India via open border.

Following her rescue, the woman said they had told her not to disclose her identity to anyone. When inquired by police or anyone of her journey, she was instructed by the duo to say that she was going to Birtamod to take care of her sister-in-law, who had recently delivered a baby. Police said the women would be handed over to her parents after necessary investigation. Tamang and Lopchan have been charged with trafficking attempts.

Kathmandu District Court has remanded them to five-day judicial custody for further investigation into the case.

According to police, traffickers operate in various layers from the source to destination countries. Nepali women are trafficked to India via open border before being sold there or trafficked to other countries.

Maiti Nepal and various India-based NGOs had rescued 103 Nepali women, including 10 to 12 minors, from various cities of Manipur bordering Myanmar in March. They were allegedly trying to cross the border with the aim of flying to Dubai and from there to various other Gulf countries.

The government, a few years ago, had made it mandatory for every Nepali citizen flying abroad from India to obtain a ‘no objection certificate’ from Delhi-based Nepali embassy.

Maiti Nepal said traffickers might have opted for land route as it had become difficult for traffickers to transport women through  the air route.