Thaindian News

Kathmandu, Oct 6 (IANS) Three Indians were among the first foreigners to feel the pinch of the anti-sleaze drive begun by Nepal’s new Maoist government, landing behind bars for allegedly having sex in a restaurant in a border town.The three men, all of whom are from Bahraich town in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, were caught in Nepalgunj town on the India-Nepal border, police said.

Pushkar Gupta, Vinay Rastogi and a third man, whose name was given only as Salman, were caught “redhanded” from the New Restaurant in Nepalgunj Sunday with three women.

Police said they carried out a raid after receiving a tipoff that the restaurant was a front for a prostitution business.

Since last month, Nepal’s new Minister for Home Affairs Bamdev Gautam has been spearheading an anti-sleaze drive that includes raiding casinos, night clubs, dance bars, massage parlours and cabin restaurants in a bid to crack down on mounting prostitution and street fights.

In the last two years, Nepal has seen an alarming mushrooming of dance bars, massage parlours and restaurants, which are divided into tiny cubicles where flesh trade is the major attraction.

Besides imposing night curfew on such establishments, the new Maoist government has also begun controlling the unregulated sale of liquor and tobacco products.

The casinos, massage parlours and dance bars draw tourists in hordes, especially Indians and Bangladeshis, who find Nepal a cheaper, closer and far more relaxed destination than any other foreign country.