Nepal unrest gives new lease of life to 6 Mizo women

Aizawl: In a dramatic twist of fate, the political upheaval in Nepal has unexpectedly turned into a lifeline for six women from Mizoram, who found themselves unjustly imprisoned as drug mules. Their release, amid the chaos of a nationwide uprising, marks the end of a harrowing ordeal and highlights the unpredictable power of destiny.These women, aged between 25 and 35, were ensnared by a notorious drug trafficking syndicate that exploited their innocence, using them as unwitting couriers. While their identities remain protected, their story is a poignant narrative of tragedy turned triumph. Lalremsangi Fanai, a prominent Mizoram BJP spokesperson and women’s rights advocate, shed light on their plight.“They were approached by strangers offering travel and accommodation expenses to Kathmandu, asking them to carry back ‘light parcels’ in return. These women had no idea what they were transporting. They were simply promised a few thousand rupees for the favour, and they trusted the wrong people. Sadly, they were caught at the airports and convicted for crimes they didn’t commit,” Fanai explained.Fanai, renowned for her relentless efforts in rescuing women from human trafficking, was deeply moved by the plight of these six women. Her past successes include liberating women trapped in domestic servitude in countries like the UAE and Sudan. However, the situation in Nepal presented a unique challenge.In the months preceding the protests, Fanai received distressing calls from the incarcerated women. “I knew something was terribly wrong,” she recalled. “These women were innocent. They had been used without their knowledge. I planned to visit them after the monsoon, but fate had other plans.”The political unrest in Nepal, fueled by a wave of Gen Z-led protests, catalyzed an unexpected turn of events. The chaos led to the breakdown of prison walls, resulting in the liberation of over 13,500 prisoners, including the six women from Mizoram. For Fanai, this unexpected freedom was a bittersweet moment.“The women were released, but they had no idea where to go. They were stranded in a foreign land, with no money, no connections, and no sense of direction. But a fellow prisoner, someone they had come to trust, helped them find shelter with a poor family in a remote village near Kathmandu. They walked for hours to reach the family’s cattle-shed, where they sought refuge,” Fanai recounted.Once they reached the family’s modest home, they used a borrowed phone to contact Fanai, who immediately took action. “I immediately called the kind-hearted man who had helped them and arranged for a guest house to accommodate them. I made sure they had a safe place to stay, paying for their lodging,” Fanai said with a sigh of relief.As the political turmoil gradually subsided, the women managed to catch the first available bus back to India. After a long and arduous journey, they finally arrived at Sairang Railway Station, where they were greeted with open arms, marking the end of their nightmare and the beginning of a new chapter.