Kathmandu – Six individuals have been arrested in Kathmandu on charges of trafficking Nepali migrants to India, where their kidneys were allegedly harvested.
The Kathmandu District Court ordered their detention for further investigation on Sunday.
The main suspect, 37-year-old Shyamkrishna Bhandari from Sindhupalchowk’s Sunkoshi Rural Municipality, is believed to have been the leader of a kidney trafficking ring operating in Delhi.
The Human Trafficking Bureau confirmed that Bhandari recruited Nepalis with promises of employment in India, only to have them undergo kidney removal procedures.
Other arrested individuals include 35-year-old Sujan Bharti from Sindhupalchowk, 35-year-old Rajukumar Pariyar from Kavre, 24-year-old Samir Nepali from Nuwakot, 47-year-old Rakesh Nepali from Belkotgadhi, and 43-year-old Raju Ghalan from Rautahat, chandrapur.
The suspects allegedly lured victims with job offers, and once they arrived in India, subjected them to medical tests before forcibly removing their kidneys. Some victims were reportedly paid for the organ removal, while others received no compensation.
The arrests followed an investigation that began in July and August. Police managed to capture these individuals after they had initially evaded authorities during the protests of the “Gen-Z” movement. The suspects were rearrested on October 9.
The police have not disclosed the number of victims, but investigations are ongoing to identify more people involved in this illegal network.
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