Police have filed a case of human trafficking against Chalitar Sah, 64, of Ko Madhepura VDC-1 on July 5. Shah is accused of selling Surya Narayan Shah of Musaharniya in Deuri Bharuwa VDC-9 in India. The accused is Surya Narayan’s mother Soma Devi Shah’s step-brother. DSP Narayan Prasad Chimariya said that police was investigating the charge that Chalitar sold his then 11-year-old step-nephew Surya in Jalandhar, Punjab of India 24 years ago. Soma Devi, 64, said that she sent her eldest among the three sons with her step-brother to India on October 19, 1991, for work due to her weak financial condition. After six months of leaving for India, Chalitar came back to the village with ashes saying Surya had died in India due to illness. The family performed his final rites trusting Chalitar. The incident came to light on June 26 after Surya Narayan managed to come back from his workplace. According to him, he was held captive in an iron factory with a heavy security three circles of entrance and 20-feet high walls. However, Chalitar has rejected the accusation claiming the returning man not being original Surya Narayan.

Manohar Kumar Pokharel