The Nepal Children’s Welfare Organisation (NCWO) has rescued four teenage girls from an Indian circus and brought them to Hetauda.

According to reports, those rescued are Ranjana Pariyar of Manhari, Jyamire, Kalpana Giri and Gori Maya Pariyar of Bhandara-1, Chitwan and Sharmila Pariyar of Bharatpur-11, Baseni.

“The circus seems nice and glamorous from the outside but actually it is hell,” reports quoted 18-year-old Gori Maya as saying.

Parents got a maximum of Rs 5,000 for sending their daughters to the circus. Arjun Pariyar, father of Ranjana said, “Now we will never send our daughters to the circus and we would also suggest others not to send their children to work in the circus.”

Reports quoted Bhim Lama from the circus project of the NCWO, who was involved in the rescue, as saying that the circus people were not willing to let the girls go.

According to reports, these children were paid Rs 6 a day for working three shifts and in the festive season, they even had to work five shifts.