Eight Arrested in Sunsari for Attempting to Smuggle Nepali Girl to China Through Marriage

Police in Sunsari have arrested eight individuals, including three Chinese nationals, for attempting to marry off a 16-year-old Nepali girl to a Chinese citizen. The marriage, which took place in the Barah area of Sunsari, was interrupted by law enforcement. Sunsari SP Suman Timsina confirmed the arrests, which include the 33-year-old Chinese groom, Li Teng, from Hubei, China.

The girl, originally from Cha Thar Jorpati-2 in Dhankuta, was being married at Chatara Aulia Baba’s temple. Those arrested include the girl’s father, Li Teng, and five other Nepali nationals: Deepak Darji from Udaipur, Badrivikram Rai, Sheetal Gurung from Syangja, Roshnimaya Tamang from Kavre, and two Chinese citizens, Dong Shihao and Wu Hezi.

According to Nepali law, individuals must be at least 20 years old to marry. SP Timsina stated that the preliminary investigation revealed the girl was being lured into the marriage with the Chinese national.

This incident is part of a concerning trend, as Chinese trafficking rings have increasingly targeted Nepali girls, luring them into marriages and then trafficking them to China for criminal activities and prostitution.