17-year-old Samina, Her Baby, and 2 Women Rescued from a Brothel in 24 Parganas

On July 4, we learned about a minor being sexually exploited in a private brothel in Kalagachia, 24 Parganas. She was held captive by a female brothel keeper and the brothel keeper’s husband. After gathering sufficient evidence, we left to meet the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Diamond Harbor Police District. He was unavailable, so we were asked to return the next day. Our team also shared our intel about the victim with the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR), and the WBCPCR sent a letter with details about the minor to the SP’s office.

The next day, we returned to the SP’s office. Once again, he was unavailable, but we were able to meet the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who directed us to a team who would assist in a rescue operation. We then met the assigned Senior Inspector (SI), and our team outlined potential rescue strategies. 

On July 9, at 9 a.m., we prepared to rescue the minor girl. At 11:10 a.m. we arrived at the police station and waited for the SI to initiate the raid. At 12:20 p.m. there was still no sign of the SI. We shared information about the victim with another SI at the police station. He said that the victim’s location fell outside their jurisdiction, so they would not be able to initiate a rescue operation. He recommended two other police stations and sent a police team with us to Kalitala. Together, we went to the police station in Kalitala and met the Officer in Charge (OC). We shared information about the victim, and he promptly organized a police team to initiate a raid. 

At 1:30 pm on July 9, we began the pre-rescue operations. By 2:45 p.m., we arrived at the victim’s location, and the police and our team raided the brothel. We rescued the minor victim, Samina, along with her 4-month-old baby and two women over the age of 18. The police detained two others: the female brothel keeper and the brothel keeper’s husband. After the police collected incriminating evidence from the brothel and filed their initial reports, we all proceeded to the police station. 

At the police station, the OC asked us to draft another complaint letter to him, which included the names of the offenders and stated that Samina was married. Child marriage is legally prohibited in India under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, so we are hopeful that this letter will strengthen Samina's case in court. After we drafted this complaint letter with the requested details, the OC filed a First Information Report, and the police filed a case against Samina’s husband under "Child Marriage."

At 7:40 p.m., our social worker, Priya, accompanied Samina to her medical tests, then returned to the police station at 11 p.m. The OC recorded our statements, and at 12:10 a.m. on July 10, we left the police station. Priya accompanied Samina and her baby to a shelter home where they remain safe.