Kashipur: In a major crackdown on human trafficking and job fraud, Uttarakhand Police rescued 32 Nepali youths, including three minors, who were allegedly held hostage in Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar district.
The victims were lured from Nepal with false promises of employment and later forced into exploitative labor under threats and abuse.
Several Nepali youths were being illegally confined in the Kashipur area
The rescue operation was launched following a tip-off from Naveen Joshi, an official at the Nepal Embassy in New Delhi, who informed local authorities on Thursday that several Nepali youths were being illegally confined in the Kashipur area. Acting swiftly, a police team led by the Circle Officer of Kashipur, along with embassy officials, raided a house in Om Vihar Colony owned by Maharaj Singh alias Pappu.
Youths were subjected to physical and mental abuse
Inside, they found 32 boys of Nepali origin, three of whom were minors. During questioning, the youths revealed that they had been brought to India by Birendra Shahi (21), a resident of Dhangadhi, Nepal, who promised them jobs. Each youth had paid between ₹10,000 and ₹30,000, but none were given employment. Instead, they were coerced into selling products for a company named Lead Vision Trading India Pvt Ltd, and subjected to physical and mental abuse if they refused.
The victims also named Sachin Kumar, a resident of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and Manish Tiwari of Rudrapur, as co-conspirators in the operation. The trio allegedly threatened the youths with violence and forced them to work under inhumane conditions.
A case has been registered
Following the rescue, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manikant Mishra confirmed that a case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. All three accused have been arrested.
Accused admitted to working under the direction of individuals
During interrogation, the accused admitted to working under the direction of individuals associated with Lead Vision, a company headquartered in Janakpuri, Delhi. They claimed to have never met the company’s founder-director Chetan Handa, but said they were instructed to lure job seekers, collect money, and deposit it into the company’s account.
Rescued youths have been handed over to officials from the Nepal
The rescued youths have been handed over to officials from the Nepal Embassy, and further investigation is underway to identify and prosecute others involved in the racket. Authorities are also probing the role of Lead Vision Trading India Pvt Ltd in the alleged trafficking and exploitation scheme.
This incident has raised serious concerns about cross-border job fraud and the exploitation of vulnerable youth. Police have urged people to verify job offers and report suspicious recruitment activities to prevent such crimes.
