Amritsar rescue: Naga girls safe, in the care of church

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 20 (EMN): A day after nine Naga girls who were working at Amritsar in Punjab were rescued from their rented flat — the house owner allegedly had locked them for their inability to pay the rent — the Church of North India (CNI) has provided them with shelter.

Bishop of CNI Pradeep Kumar Samantaroy told Eastern Mirror that all the girls are safe and now in the care of the church. Fearing the possibility of any untoward eventuality, Samantaroy informed, the girls were shifted from their previous house to a new location Wednesday morning at around 11 am in the presence of the deputy superintendent of Amritsar police (DSP).

Samantaroy said the key of the girls’ previous rented flat were handed over to the DSP the same day before the girls were taken to their new lodging.

When asked about how long the girls would be in the care of the CNI, the bishop replied “as long as they want to stay with us, they are welcomed.” He said the Naga girls were now staying at a school’s guest house.

The Alexandra School, where the nine girls are currently staying, is managed and run by the Church of North India, which is close to where the bishop lives with his family. He informed that the girls were provided with basic kitchen requirements and essential commodities. They will continue to stay and live there on their own, the source informed.

“Earlier, I had two daughters. Now, I have eleven daughters,” the bishop said while assuring that the girls are safe.

One of the girls spoke to Eastern Mirror. *She said all of them are safe and currently in the care of the CNI. She said that the management of the hotel where they work also offered to book train tickets for their journey back to Nagaland.

However, she said they decided to stay at their present place until the government of Nagaland comes up with a solution to take them back home.

*Name withheld for privacy reasons.

Read related story: Nine Naga girls rescued