Nepal Police have arrested seven persons on the charge of abducting a ‘top Nepali model’ and trying to sell her off to a religious cult in India.

Those arrested have been identified as Krishna Lama, Umesh Shah, Dil Kumar Budha Magar, Dilip Pandhera, Umesh Majhi, Ranjit Kumar Chaudhary and Prema Tamang, who hail from different places of Kathmandu, Janakpur and Biratnagar. All seven of them were remanded to police custody for seven days by the Kathmandu District Court today.

Police arrested them on December 22, 23 and 24 following a week-long investigation.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati at Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, said relatives of the model (whose identity has been kept secret) had filed an FIR in police station about a week ago about the trafficking of the girl.

Police said the girl was approached by some people from her modelling agency. DSP Bogati said the traffickers were looking for a girl with fair complexion, who was exactly six feet tall and without any scar on her body. After coming into contact with the model, who matched all the features, the traffickers had asked her to join a programme to be held in Biratnagar and offered her handsome pay.

In Biratnagar, she was taken to a religious camp, where she was held captive. “There the girl was forced to wear religious dress and tie black threads on her legs. Some people chanted mantras in front of her and worshipped her,” DSP Bogati said.

According to DSP Bogati the girl was being prepared to be sent to a religious cult in India, but police intervened in time and were able to rescue her. He said after interrogating the arrested persons it was found that the girl might have been sought by religious cult leaders for human sacrifice.

Each of the traffickers were paid an amount ranging from Rs one lakh to Rs five lakh to take the girl to India.

Police are still investigating the case.