February 12th 2014, started out like any other day. Kumar and Mukesh had identified a minor girl and were on their way to Pune’s red-light area to get more information from her. While the number of minor victims in the city had drastically reduced in the last 5 years thanks to the dedicated efforts of anti-trafficking organizations and the police, our investigators still found minors there occasionally.
The team split up before they reached the location. Unknown to them, someone had identified them and had alerted the area of their presence so when they reached the area, there was a mob of 20-25 people waiting, ready to attack them. They dragged Kumar to the top floor of a brothel building where he was repeatedly beaten for at least 20 minutes. Mukesh, who was able to escape, quickly informed the police of what had happened and with their help, was able to rescue Kumar.
Today, despite the attack and the security risks associated with his cover being blown in Pune, Kumar continues to work at Freedom Firm, investigating red-light areas where his identity has not been exposed and assisting in the rescue of several victims of trafficking. His firm commitment and undaunted courage in the face of danger is an example to us all of the virtues we must have if we are ever to see systemic change and the elimination of child sex trafficking in India.