Uttar Pradesh: 453 Nepali youths trapped in forced pyramid network operation in Kushinagar rescued in joint police operation, transported back to Nepal

In a major cross-border rescue operation, 453 Nepali citizens were rescued and brought back to Nepal after being allegedly trapped in a fraudulent job and network marketing operation in Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh.

The operation was carried out on Friday by Nepali police in coordination with Indian authorities, and the Nepalese Embassy in India launched an initiative to rescue the trapped youths. The rescued individuals, hailing primarily from Nepal’s Lumbini, Koshi, and Sudurpaschim provinces, were transported back to Nepal on Saturday through the Belahiya-Sunauli border point in eight Indian buses.

Nepal Police units from Lumbini Province and Rupandehi District came to India for the operation. According to Rupandehi District Police Chief Janak Bahadur Shahi, the victims were lured with promises of attractive jobs and high earnings in a company called Winspire World Company. The company is operating from a rented house on Kasia-Mathauli Road in Kushinagar.

They were taken across the border and allegedly confined in Kushinagar, where they faced financial exploitation under the guise of a network marketing or pyramid-style scheme. Police sources said the operators charged victims between ₹7,000 and up to ₹1,00,000 per person as “membership fees.” The recruits were then trained and pressured to bring in more members, with threats issued to those unable to do so, including demands for additional payments from their families.

The gang created forced pyramid network, as people inducted into the scheme were forced to bring in more members with membership fee. The captured youths were given different tasks to expand the pyramid. Some were tasked with training new members, while others were used for collecting payments and recruiting new members.

Rupandehi Police chief Janak Bahadur Shahi said, “Based on the information, we tracked the location and carried out the rescue with the support of Indian police.” Nepali police said that a complaint from victims’ families led to an initial inquiry, which resulted in the busting of the network.

“After four days of continuous coordination with Uttar Pradesh Police and support from chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s office, we were able to rescue the victims,” said Nishant Shrivastava, Deputy Superintendent of Police at Area Police Office Butwal.

The rescued group, which includes a significant number of young men and women, is currently being housed at the District Police Office in Bhairahawa. Authorities are verifying their identities and recording statements before handing them over to their families. A detailed investigation is underway to identify the masterminds behind the racket.⁠

Nepal Police had received information that over 1,000 Nepali youths might have been taken to the area under the scheme. Officials said preliminary inquiries are underway to investigate the suspected human trafficking and employment fraud network behind the incident.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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