Part of the strategy of Freedom Firm’s investigative team in Pune is to search in new areas for minor girls. In October 2010, the team conducted investigations for the first time in Nagpur, a city of 2.5 million (in eastern Maharashtra) that has a prolific red-light area. The area is quite poor, and girls are available for as little as Rs. 50 (1.10 USD, 70p GBP). What the investigators also found troubling was the fact that brothels in Nagpur are organized in such a way that may make raids and rescues unusually difficult and dangerous.
In their initial investigations, the operatives found minor girls in need of rescue, and with the help of police, their first raid was successful in rescuing one girl. Their second raid, however, failed. Knowing there were many minors in the area, the team returned several weeks later for another attempt. This time however the police provided unprecedented support – three high-ranking police officials joined the team on a large-scale raid – and nineteen girls were rescued! Two brothel agents were also apprehended and were later refused bail, which kept them out of work for weeks rather than mere days.
