16 GIRLS FREED FROM THE AMAR CIRCUS

Sixteen trafficked girls have found freedom from the Amar Circus which had been playing in Haryana State. Field workers from The Esther Benjamins Memorial Foundation (EBMF), our partner organisation in Nepal, had liaised with the girls' families before dispatching a rescue team at the weekend.

Just before the team set off, the Circus - which had been tipped off about the forthcoming visit - sent nine girls back to Nepal accompanied by two of their staff members; one of whom remains in police custody in Hetauda. Family members were then able to collect a further two girls independently.

On 11th July the rescue team, which was led by the Director EBMF, Shailaja CM, and Ganesh Shrestha joined new local partner ChildLine India in a visit to the circus that led to the release of a further five girls all aged below twenty. The party returned to Nepal on Thursday 12th. They have been spending some time with families before joining the EBMF rehabilitation programme in Kathmandu and Hetauda.

These releases bring the number of successful rescues from circuses to almost 270.


Return to our Main News Archive page