15-year-old child, Kantara, and her 20-year-old sister, Amita, rescued from a brothel in Kalighat, Kolkata

We first learned about 15-year-old Kantara in June 2025. When we tried to gather more information about her, we were unable to locate her, and it appeared that she had been moved to an unknown location.

On August 28, we received intel that Kantara was being sexually exploited in a house in Kalighat, Kolkata, and would be moved to another location in a few days.

We called the Anti Human Trafficking Network (AHTU), who asked us to come to their office at 4 p.m. and meet the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). We also called the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) and told them that we needed to rescue Kantara immediately because she was about to be moved to another brothel. The WBCPCR told us to keep them updated on her case and inform them if the AHTU did not cooperate. We arrived at the AHTU office at 4 p.m., but the ACP was out on official work, so the AHTU asked us to return the next day. 

On Friday, August 29, we called the AHTU to book an appointment to meet the ACP. They asked us not to come to the office yet, as the ACP was still unavailable. We emphasized the importance of initiating a raid right promptly, as Kantara was expected to be moved by Tuesday, September 2. 

On August 30, we finally secured an appointment with the ACP and shared all the information on Kantara’s case with him and the urgency for an immediate raid. We shared that Kantara was being used as a dancer in different bars and hotels to entice customers. After hearing this, the ACP shared his concern that Kantara may have entered prostitution willingly and could turn hostile toward us. He was worried that if the rescue failed, it would affect their conviction rate. Despite our persistence and pleading, we were unable to convince the ACP otherwise.

Later that evening, we received a call from the ACP’s office. He wanted to delay the rescue operation and suggested that we gather more evidence. 

We immediately reached out to the WBCPCR, informing them that the AHTU had refused to initiate a rescue operation.

On Monday, the WBCPCR chairperson emailed the Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, and requested him to initiate a rescue before Tuesday, September 2. The chairperson then spoke to the officer in charge of the AHTU and told them that the rescue operation needed to take place by the morning of the 2nd and that our team would be in their office by 11:30 a.m. with the official letter requesting the immediate rescue of Kantara. 

On September 2, we visited the AHTU office and handed the AHTU the letter from the WBCPCR. The AHTU finally assigned a police team to initiate a raid. 

After confirming that Kantara was still at the brothel, the police and our team proceeded there to rescue her. 

On September 2, at 4:07 p.m., the police and our team rescued 15-year-old Kantara. We also found and rescued Kantara’s 20-year-old sister, Amita. The police arrested the 57-year-old brothel owner and the 35-year-old pimp, who was Kantara and Amita's aunt, who were present at the brothel. As per the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Act, the police videorecorded the entire rescue operation. They then collected incriminating evidence from the brothel, and they completed their investigation at 10:26 p.m. After the police sealed the brothel, the police and our team proceeded to the police station with Kantara, Amita, and the accused.

At the police station, the police filed the First Information Report and placed the two accused in police custody.

At 2:11 a.m., we accompanied Kantara and Amita to their medical tests, after which they were both placed in a protective home.