A 33-year-old man, the alleged kingpin of a racket involved in trafficking Nepali girls to Gulf Countries, was arrested by a team of Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Saturday, near ISBT Kashmere Gate. The accused had a reward of Rs 1lakh for his arrest and was wanted in a case, wherein, 16 Nepali girls were rescued by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) from Munirka Village in July, 2018.

According to police, the accused identified as Lopsang Lama (33), originally hailing from East Nepal’s Okhal Doonga district, was born in Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh and presently residing at Wazirabad in Delhi. His father is an ex-serviceman, retired from Assam Rifle, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the accused was wanted in a case of July, 2018, wherein 16 Nepali girls were confined in a rented by Lama and his associates for about 20-22 days.

“They were allegedly being trafficked to various Gulf Countries, through illegal means on the pretext of giving them different jobs. He had taken away their Passports and other documents, so that the girls could be forced to stay,” the DCP revealed.

Subsequently, a case under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Vasant Vihar Police Station and a reward of Rs 1 lakh was declared by Amulya Patnaik, Delhi Police Commissioner, for his arrest.

During investigation, the rescued girls told police that Lopsang Lama had trafficked five Nepali girls to Kuwait and two girls to Iraq during the period of 15 days, prior to their rescue. The accused absconded and had fled to Nepal border, police said.

On Saturday, information was received by Assistant Sub Inspector Devendra Kumar that Lama would be arriving near ISBT Kashmere Gate to meet his associate. “A trap was laid and at about 7.20 pm, a person was spotted coming from Buddhist Monastery side,” said the DCP.

However, on seeing the police team, the accused reportedly fled towards Kudasiya bank of Yamuna River and jumped into the river. “Following which, Constable Manoj Tyagi, ASI Devendra Kumar and Constable Mohit fished the accused out,” he said. Lama confessed to his involvement with the case registered at Vasant Vihar police station.

During sustained interrogation, lama disclosed that he along with his brother-in-law and other associates were running human trafficking racket by sending Nepali girls to various Gulf countries.

“He received commission every girl he trafficked. The girls who were trafficked were also sexually exploited. Since the trafficking of girls is banned in Nepal he used to bring the girls under the garb of providing jobs in India. The girls were confined to a house in order to avoid law enforcing agencies,” the DCP said. 

“After the case in Vasant Vihar police station, he fled to Sanauli on the Indo-Nepal border and laid low for some months. He came to Delhi again and made his new hideout at Wazirabad and was planning to start human trafficking racket afresh,” said the DCP, adding that they are further investigating the matter to arrest Lama’s associates.