Kathmandu: Bimal Bahadur Shahi, 32, a resident of Chamunda Bindrasaini Municipality-6 of Dailekh district, had sold his kidney in India a few years ago. Likewise, Dhan Bahadur Roka, 28, a resident of Manthali Municipality-5 of Ramechhap district also sold his kidney in India. Roka had changed his name to Vidhan Himal Shrestha.
Both of them had sold their kidney willingly in India. Not only did the two sell their own kidneys, but they also started to lure street children for the same.
A police investigation, recently, found that Dhan Bahadur Roka formed an organized network to lure street children in Kathmandu with money and gifts. According to police, the organized network, formed by Roka, used to promise Rs 500,000 and a smartphone up to Rs 50,000 for selling a kidney.
Recently, a team of police from the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau busted the network, and arrested five persons, including Bimal Shahi and Roka, for their involvement in the organ trafficking of street children.
Along with them, the Bureau arrested 31-year-old Vijay Kunwar of Tamghas Municipality-2 in Gulmi, 21-year-old Ashish Tamang, also known as Chate from Prithvinagar Municipality-1 in Jhapa, and 28-year-old Dhupendra Shahi of Chamunda Bindrasayani Municipality-6 in Dailekh.
The investigation revealed that the racketeers targeted street children of Kathmandu, and sold their kidneys to India.
According to Superintendent of Police Dan Bahadur Malla, spokesperson for the Bureau, the racketeers used easily lure street children as they are poor and illiterate, and have little or no knowledge about the function of body parts. “The investigation has found that street children have sold their kidneys unwillingly in many cases. Dhan Bahadur Roka and Vijay Kunwar had mobilized the three arrested persons, including one kidney donor.”
According to police, Shahi and Roka used to show their wounds to street children to trick them. The arrested used to say that donating a kidney would do no harm to the body, according to police.
On June 29, Nepal Police, acting on a tip-off, arrested Bhupendra Shahi, Bimal Kunwar, and Bimal Bahadur Shahi on the charge of their involvement in organ trafficking. They were preparing to take children to Kolkata to sell their kidneys.
According to police, Roka was responsible for finding a suitable kidney donor for the kidney recipient.
Roka was the one who used to take children to India as well as brought them back to Nepal, the investigation revealed.
Kunwar, under Roka’s instructions, used to find the right donor for kidney recipients, it has been revealed.
Likewise, Dhupendra Shahi used to take children to a clinic for their health checkups. “Shahi’s used to ensure that street children are fit for kidney donation,” according to police.
Police say the arrested will be charged as per the Human Trafficking and Transport Control Act (2007).
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