When Suniel Shetty Helped 128 Women Sex Trafficking Survivors Return Home To Nepal

Suniel Shetty was instrumental in rescuing hundreds of women from Nepal who were victims of human trafficking in the year 1996.

Suniel Shetty was instrumental in rescuing hundreds of women from Nepal who were victims of human trafficking in the year 1996.(Image: Instagram/@suniel.shetty)

On-screen hero Suniel Shetty has been a hero in real life as well. The actor was instrumental in rescuing hundreds of women from Nepal who were victims of human trafficking in the year 1996. With the help of the police, social workers, and his mother-in-law, Suniel arranged for these women to return home. 

Survivors account of how Suniel Shetty helped 128 women

An old video by Vice features Charimaya Tamang, the founder of Shakti Samuha, an organisation based in Nepal, aiding survivors of sex trafficking. She recounted her own trafficking experience from 1996 and credited Suniel Shetty for her rescue. 

She recalled, “On February 5, 1996, the whole of Kamathipura, the brothel area, had been cordoned off by police and social workers. They got us out of there. This is how we were rescued. After being rescued, our government (Nepal) refused to bring us back. They said we didn’t have our birth certificates or citizenship cards.” 

Proud of you @SunielVShetty sir 🙏🙏

Must watch guy's🙏 pic.twitter.com/GZw1nsLSwL

— Dalpat Razzpurohit (@DalpatSunielian) May 11, 2020

Charimaya further mentioned, “That is when your film hero, Suniel Shetty supported us. He got plane tickets to Kathmandu for 128 women who had been rescued.” 

When Suniel Shetty met Charimaya Tamang after years

In an old interview with Radio Sargam, the actor said “We didn’t want to glorify ourselves and moreover, we didn’t want to put the girls at risk, especially with the mafia involved in this case.” 

While speaking to Radio Sargam, Shetty also recounted a remarkable encounter with Charimaya Tamang. He was surprised to learn that she was one of the survivours from the rescue mission. "She told me how she started her own organisation for sex trafficking survivours and how it has gained worldwide recognition. It was truly a special moment for me," Shetty shared. 

Suniel Shetty on the rescue operation

In another conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Suniel Shetty refused to take full credit for the rescue operation, stating that many people worked diligently to make it happen. “We didn’t really think about the price of flight tickets. The cost was not that important. It was the effort that counted. My mother-in-law started the Save The Children NGO and it’s active even today. All of us are involved in it. The inspiration comes from her. She was the one who decided to take the risk of rescuing the girls and thereby getting into the bad books of the mafia,” he said. 

Suniel worked passionately alongside his mother-in-law, Mumbai Police, and Naresh Goyal’s Jet Airways to ensure the women's safe return. He noted that the rescued women probably remembered his name “because I am an actor,” but added, “Lekin mehnat bahut saare logon ki thi. Paiso se zyada humne jigar dikhaya ki in bachchiyon ki madat karenge aur itni bade mafia se takkar lenge.” (But a lot of people worked hard. More than money, all of us showed courage to help these women and get in the bad books of the mafia).