Six Mizo women 'wrongfully' jailed in Nepal returns home, reunite with families

Aizwal, Sept 29: Six women from Mizoram, wrongfully imprisoned in Nepal for drug trafficking, have regained their freedom in a dramatic turn of events triggered by political unrest across the Himalayan nation. What began as a nightmare of manipulation and wrongful conviction has ended in survival, courage, and an improbable return home.

The women, aged between 25 and 35, had fallen prey to an international drug syndicate that exploited unsuspecting travelers as carriers. Branded as criminals and sentenced to decades behind bars, they endured years of despair until last month’s upheaval in Nepal unexpectedly opened the gates to their release.

According to Lalremsangi Fanai, Mizoram BJP spokesperson and women’s rights advocate, the traffickers typically lure victims with promises of free travel, accommodation, and money in exchange for carrying seemingly harmless parcels abroad. “They were offered trips to Kathmandu with small rewards for transporting a few light packages. Little did they know, these packages concealed narcotics. They were arrested at airports and hotels, and their lives changed forever,” Fanai explained.

Fanai, who has worked relentlessly to rescue women trapped in trafficking networks, has earlier helped Mizo women stranded in the UAE and Sudan return home. Months before the unrest, the six women had reached out to her from their prison cells in Nepal. “I was deeply worried,” she recalled. “They were innocent, unknowingly turned into drug mules. I had planned to visit them after the monsoon but fate had other plans.”

Convicted and sentenced to between 17 and 20 years, the women also faced crippling fines of 20 lakh Nepalese rupees each. Failure to pay meant another 20 years behind bars. For one woman, living with a disability, the punishment was especially severe - 17 years in prison.

“Even though hope was slim, I was determined to visit them. I wanted them to know they weren’t forgotten,” Fanai said.

That slim hope was replaced by an unexpected twist. In September, protests led by Gen Z activists in Nepal spiraled into mass prison breaks, freeing over 13,500 inmates, including the six Mizo women. What seemed like chaos turned into their lifeline.

“After escaping, they didn’t know where to go. They were free but lost,” Fanai said. A fellow inmate led them to a relative’s home near Kathmandu. Walking through the night, they finally reached a poor cattle-rearing family who gave them shelter. “They even slept in the cow shed, an experience that deepened their despair,” she added.

With the family’s help, the women used a phone to contact Fanai. “I immediately spoke to the man who sheltered them and arranged a guest house for their safety. I paid for their stay until the situation settled,” Fanai said.

Eventually, with political tensions easing, they boarded the first bus service back to India. After a long and exhausting journey, the women reached Sairang Railway Station in Mizoram, where they were reunited with their families.

“It was a moment of immense relief and joy,” Fanai said, adding, “After everything, they were finally home - safe and sound.”