Seven girls who had gone missing from Bhangaha Municipality in Mahottari district on Tuesday afternoon have been found in Bihar, India on Wednesday.

According to the District Police Office, Indian police have informed that the seven missing girls were found in Sitamarhi in the Indian state of Bihar. All seven girls are in good health, said police.

Bhangaha Municipality mayor Sanjib Sah informed that the girls were found across the border in India. "A team from Nepal police is heading towards the Indian side to take custody of the girls and they will be handed over to their parents," he said.

Sah believes that the young girls could not have made their way across the border on their own.

“It is impossible for these children to reach the Indian side without the involvement of someone,” said Sah, “Police should conduct a detailed investigation and take necessary action if anyone is found guilty of taking the girls across the border without their consent.”

According to the family members of the girls, aged between 10-18 years and all of them from Dharampur in the municipality, the girls had gone to collect fodder for cattle at a farm in the nearby Ajgewa village at around 2pm yesterday and had not returned home since.

The locals had informed the police after the girls did not return home until 7pm last night.

Police officials from Sitapur-based Bhangaha Police Office, Loharpatti Police Office, under the coordination of District Police Office, Mahottari Inspector Rajesh Ghimire and locals were involved in the search for the missing girls throughout the night.