On April 24, we received a lead about a minor girl forced into prostitution in a private brothel in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. After confirming the information, we tried to meet with the Commissioner of Police (CP) and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to initiate a raid, but both were unavailable.Â
We tried to make an appointment with other police officers on April 25, but they were also unavailable. When we finally made contact with the ACP over the phone, he agreed to meet the next day at 12:30 p.m. in his office.Â
On April 26, after waiting for some time at his office, we eventually met with the CP and shared details about the minor victim. He directed us to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
The DCP warned that if our information was incorrect he would lodge a case against us. We explained that we simply wanted to rescue this minor, legally, with the police’s help, as we had done many times before. He directed us to another police worker at another police station, and asked us to update him on the rescue.Â
The police officer reviewed our identification, then connected us with a police team. Together, we planned a rescue. Â
On April 26 at 2:10 pm, the police and our team raided the brothel, and rescued 17-year-old Puspa. The police arrested the brothel keeper and her husband, and we searched the brothel for other victims. The police collected evidence from the brothel, including money, alcohol bottles, condoms, mobile phones, and paan.Â
After the police completed their reports, Puspa, the accused, and our team proceeded to the police station.Â
On April 27, the police completed the First Information Report, and on April 29, we accompanied Puspa to her medical tests and to the Child Welfare Committee where she recorded her 161 statement (the victim’s initial voluntary statement).Â
On April 30, Puspa’s medical tests confirmed that she is a minor, and she was placed in a temporary shelter home where she remains safe. Â