Police have been deployed to remove citizens of 16 different countries who had been living in the Simli jungle of Kailali. These individuals had been residing in the Simli jungle, located in Ghodaghodi Municipality-9, for the past three weeks.
The local administration had previously directed them to leave the area, but they continued to stay in the jungle, citing various issues such as a lack of travel expenses. Some of these foreign nationals left the area on Monday and headed elsewhere.
Kailali’s Chief District Officer (CDO) Gogan Bahadur Hamal stated that more than 150 foreign citizens had been living in the Simli jungle without permission, and efforts have begun to remove them. “The foreign nationals have been leaving the Simli jungle in recent days. On Monday, 16 of them left the jungle and headed toward their destinations,” he said.
After receiving information that people from various countries, including the United States, India, and China, were living in the jungle, the local administration visited the site and conducted inquiries. Last Wednesday, CDO Hamal personally went to the jungle, met with them, and instructed them to leave within 24 hours.
Following the administration’s directive, some individuals left the jungle, but others remained, claiming they lacked funds for travel. They were told to vacate the jungle by Monday, Hamal informed. “After we issued strict instructions, the foreign nationals started leaving the jungle. Even those who claimed they had no money for expenses began leaving on Monday. Police have been mobilized to remove them from the jungle,” CDO Hamal said.
The foreign nationals had been living in the jungle for nearly 20 days, defying the local administration’s orders. Identifying themselves as members of the 'Rainbow Family Gathering' group, people from various countries had come to live in Kailali’s jungle due to their association with this group. Having arrived in Nepal on tourist visas, they claimed to be 'nature lovers.'
According to the police, they were staying in the jungle without permission, lighting fires to sustain themselves, and some were found using narcotic drugs.
