JHAPA, Nov 26: Gopal Ghimire, 37, of Mechinagar Municipality-6, who went missing in Malaysia in the course of foreign employment 18 years ago, has returned home after being rescued.

Ghimire, who had gone to Malaysia 18 years ago, was sent to Nepal after search and rescue by the Nepali Janasamparka Samiti in Malaysia. Gopal was traced after his mother Sani Ghimire made a public appeal for his search. MP and General Secretary of Nepali Congress Bishwa Prakash Sharma said that Gopal, who came to Kathmandu from Kuala Lumpur on Friday, arrived home on Saturday. 

MP Sharma, who took the initiative to search and rescue him in Malaysia and bring him back to Nepal, said that Gopal's safe rescue was possible with the help of Nepali Janasamparka Samiti in Malaysia and the Nepali Embassy in Malaysia after the compassionate appeal of his mother Sani.

"Not only was Gopal found in Malaysia, but his mother got her missing son in her arms today," MP Sharma expressed his happiness over the rescue and said, "This is the greatest happiness."

Cholaraj Pangeni, chairman of the Nepali Janasamparka Samiti in Malaysia, said that Gopal, who had entered Malaysia illegally, had to pay Rs 104,160 through air tickets and fines to bring him back home.

On March 21, 2005, Gopal went to Malaysia at the age of 19 after getting a work permit for production operator work. He has returned home at the age of 37. A week after he reached Malaysia, he was accused of being an illegal worker. After this, his family in Nepal was unaware of his real condition.

Ghimire's mother Sani expressed her happiness that her son, who was lost abroad, has returned home. She expressed her gratitude to all those who took the initiative to find her son and asked her son to take the path of living in his own country.

Gopal said that he had to suffer a lot while living in Malaysia. “After becoming an illegal worker, it was difficult to survive in Malaysia,” he said after meeting his mother at his home, “I could not earn a penny and send it home after living abroad for so many years. With my mother's blessings, I was able to come back alive, I am happy about that.”

Gopal also has a son at home. His mother Sani earns a living by leading a group of young blind people in street singing. Stating that the financial resources of the house are not enough to bring food, she said that when she took out a loan to send her son to work abroad, the house was also mortgaged by the bank.

 
• foreign_employment