Parent of 'rescued' girl clarifies
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 04 2017:
The parents of the girl who was rescued by a team of Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Imphal West police at Imphal Tulihal Airport from being taken to Singapore on March 28, have clarified that no foul play was involved.
Speaking to media persons at Kangpokpi, Khaizamang Touthang from M Lunmual village of Singhat sub division under Churachandpur district, said that they had tried to send their daughter, Hatchonghoi (23), to Singapore to work as a domestic help.
"Me, my wife and our daughter had agreed to the whole arrangement", he said adding that Lhingneo Kipgen (29) w/o Haokhulan Kipgen of Kangpokpi ward number 5, had nothing to do with the family's decision.
He said, "A girl named Thommy from the adjacent village is also working at Singapore .
When she came home from Singapore for holiday some time back, I had consulted her to find some job for my daughter" .
Khaizamang Touthang said that he himself is unable to work due to kidney stone and his wife is the only member in the family who is able to earn some money by selling vegetables.
He claimed that Lhingneo Kipgen was arrested by the police when she came to give the Singapore flight ticket to her daughter after all necessary preparations had been made.
"Our family has no link whatsoever with her.
We are not even acquainted with her.
She worked with Thommy in Singapore and she had come with the flight ticket on Thommy's behalf", he claimed.
Khaizamang Touthang clarified that his family had agreed to send their daughter to a foreign place in order to earn a livelihood and that no one forced them to do so and further appealed to the authority concerned to release his daughter, who is kept at Punya Shelter Home, Thangmeiband.