16-year-old Iqra Rescued from Brothel in Moradabad

On March 17, 2026, we received intel that a minor was being sexually exploited in an apartment at a government housing society. The next day, we traveled to Moradabad and were able to verify the intel. The brothel was being run on the second floor of the building. The housing society was located in an extremely busy area in Moradabad. 

We gathered our evidence about the minor and presented it to the police. The police were not cooperative, and someone from the police even tipped off the brothel, and the victim was moved.

For over three weeks we were unable to track the victim.

In the second week of April, we received new intel: the victim was back in the brothel.  

On April 14, we visited the Senior Superintendent of Police’s office (SSP). Since it was a public holiday, he was not in his office.

The next day, we returned to his office and shared the evidence we had on the minor victim. The SSP reviewed the evidence and directed us to meet the Circle Officer in the Kotwali Police Station in Moradabad.                           

The Circle Officer reviewed our information and expressed her readiness to support the rescue operation. Since the victim’s location fell outside her jurisdiction, she said we needed to receive approval from the Senior Officer from the Civil Lines Police Station.

The Senior Officer from the Civil Lines Police Station was unavailable on April 15.

On April 16, we were finally able to reach him, and he directed us to meet the Station House Officer (SHO) from another Police Station in Majhola (a small town in Moradabad).

The SHO was uncooperative and disrespectful. He instructed us to contact the Circle Officer from Civil Lines for the rescue. When we called the Circle Officer from Civil Lines, he directed us to proceed with the Majhola SHO for the rescue and said he would join us at the location later. 

On April 16, at 3:33 p.m., the police and our team raided the brothel. We found and rescued 16-year-old Iqra. The police arrested one male and two females who were present at the brothel. 

The police continued to be uncooperative. They started to argue with our team and also used foul language. Their entire behavior before and after the rescue operation was unprofessional. The Circle Officer Civil Lines asked us to leave, stating that we were only the support personnel.

We left the rescue location. We contacted the SSP and the Child Welfare Committee and updated them on the situation. 

Shortly after we called the SSP, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) called us and directed us to return to Iqra’s rescue location.  

At the rescue location, an officer from the AHTU and the Majhola SHO escorted Iqra to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The three accused were also brought to the CWC. 

The CWC spoke to Iqra and encouraged her to share a clear statement. After Iqra shared her statement, she was placed in a temporary shelter home. 

On April 17, we received a call from the Majhola SHO and the CWC informing us to proceed with registering the First Information Report (FIR).

We went to the police station with our advocate and filed the FIR. The police made some changes to the FIR. We immediately emailed a detailed report to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights about all the challenges we faced with the police throughout the rescue operation. 

Our team will not back down; we will persevere in fighting for the justice and safety of each girl.