Children rescued from Indian circuses getting new lease of life

Activists of the award-winning Esther Benjamin Memorial Foundation has rescued 5 children and 3 adolescents from a circus in India and brought them to Hetauda Tuesday. Those rescued are aged between 12 to 18 years and were sold to the circus in return for cash.

The Foundation's activists also nabbed Kirte Bahadur Tamang, 68, red handed while he was selling the children and adolescents to Rainbow Circus in Gujarat state of India and handed him over to District Police Office in Hetauda. Tamang is accused of having sold more than 20 children from his home district Hetauda to many circuses in India.

A team of seven led by Foundation's Director Sailaja CM had rescued Parwati B.K, 12; Sumitra B.K, 13; Paru Lama, 13; Namuna Joshi, 15; Ram Maya Thokar, 14; Sani Lama, 16; Pawitra Gumba, 17 and Ramesh Lama, 18.

Thinking that the children would end up in the same place again if they are left to themselves, the Foundation has also been taking care of the children it has brought to Nepal after rescuing them from Indian circuses, including making arrangements for their education, giving them training in different skilled jobs and providing jobs after that. Till now 168 children rescued from Indian circuses have benefited from the programme run by the Foundation. nepalnews.com ag Aug 06 08