The GB Road Rescue: A Brother’s Desperate Mission to Save His Sister

A harrowing tale of human trafficking, courage, and an unlikely rescue from Delhi’s notorious red-light district

Content Warning

This article contains descriptions of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and violence. The details are presented for awareness purposes regarding the realities of trafficking and the importance of vigilance. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

The Dream Job That Became a Nightmare

West Kolkata, 2019

In 2019, two young women worked together at an MNC company in West Kolkata, earning around ₹35,000 per month. They were best friends—sharing lunches during office hours, going on outings together after work, and supporting each other through life’s challenges.

One day, one of these women—whom we’ll call Jyotsna (name changed for privacy)—came to her best friend Rani (pseudonym) in tears. Jyotsna had received what seemed like an incredible job offer from Delhi, with a monthly salary of approximately ₹1 lakh. However, her family was refusing to let her move to Delhi for the position, and she was devastated.

When Rani heard about this opportunity, she felt sad for her friend. But she was also intrigued by the job itself—the salary was nearly three times what they were currently earning. After some thought, Rani asked Jyotsna if she could apply for the position instead.

Jyotsna agreed and arranged for someone to escort Rani to Delhi for the interview.

June 11, 2019: The Interview

On June 11, 2019, Rani arrived at what she believed was an office in Delhi. She sat waiting for her interview, understandably nervous about this important opportunity. The salary was substantial, and she wanted to make a good impression.

The Drugged Tea

While she waited, a tea server—seemingly an office employee—approached and asked if she would like tea or coffee. Rani, feeling anxious about the upcoming interview, asked him to bring her something good, saying she needed it to calm her nerves.

The young man asked what she preferred, and Rani requested strong tea (kadak chai) to help boost her confidence before the interview.

He returned with a well-made cup of tea. Rani drank it, grateful for something to steady her nerves.

Within minutes, she began feeling extremely drowsy. Suddenly, she lost consciousness.

The Horrifying Reality

When Rani regained consciousness, her vision was blurry. As her eyes began to focus, she realized she was in a bedroom, lying on a bed. Standing before her was an elderly man—completely naked. When she looked down at herself, she discovered she too had no clothes on.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to fight. She wanted to run. But whatever drug had been put in her tea had left her body weak and powerless. She could barely move, let alone defend herself or escape.

The terror that gripped Rani in that moment is unimaginable. Just moments before—or so it seemed—she had been sitting in what she thought was an office, waiting for a job interview. Now she found herself in this nightmare situation with no idea how she’d gotten there or what had happened to her.

The First Day of Hell

What happened next would haunt Rani for the rest of her life. The elderly man left the room after sexually assaulting her. Then another man came. Then another.

Rani tried to keep count at first. On that very first day—June 11, 2019—she was raped by 15 to 16 different men. She counted up to 15 or 16, but after that, she stopped counting.

Whenever she tried to scream or whenever the effects of the drugs began to wear off and she showed signs of resistance, she was beaten and forcibly injected with more drugs or given pills to keep her subdued.

The Prison

Rani was trapped in what she soon realized was Brothel Number 68 on GB Road—one of Delhi’s most notorious red-light areas.

When she asked for food, she was beaten. When she asked for water, she was beaten. When she begged for clothes to cover her body, she was beaten. Every possible measure was taken to ensure she couldn’t leave her room, because those holding her captive knew one crucial thing: unlike the other women there, Rani was not there by habit or choice—she had been trafficked.

The people running the brothel knew that if she escaped or if anyone discovered what had really happened to her, they would face serious consequences.

The Family’s Desperate Search

Meanwhile, back in West Kolkata, Rani’s family had become frantic. Their daughter had gone to Delhi for what she said was a job interview, but now she had completely disappeared. They had no way to contact her, no idea where she was.

The family filed a missing person report with the West Kolkata police, but weeks passed with no leads. Nearly two months went by, and the family was beginning to lose hope that they would ever see Rani again.

An Unexpected Connection

As the days turned into weeks, Rani was forced to “service” customer after customer. Because she was from West Bengal, relatively well-educated, young, and considered attractive, she was in high demand. Men would pay extra to spend time with her.

This had been going on for approximately one and a half to two months when something unexpected happened: a customer from West Bengal—from her own area—came to the brothel.

Building Trust

When Rani realized this man was from her hometown and spoke her language, she began paying more attention to him than she did to other customers. She spoke with him more, behaved better toward him, and treated him with more warmth than she showed others.

The customer, pleased with this treatment, became a regular visitor. He came back four to five times to spend time with Rani.

The Plea for Help

After his fourth or fifth visit, when Rani felt she could trust this man, she took a desperate gamble. She told him: “Can you help me? I will touch your feet if you do this for me.”

She gave him her brother’s phone number and begged him to call her brother and tell him where she was—that she was trapped in this brothel and needed to be rescued.

The man was terrified. He kept saying: “If I tell your brother, these people will kill me. My life will be in danger.”

But Rani broke down in front of him. She cried and pleaded, saying that if he would just make this one phone call, she might have a chance of escaping this hell.

Finally, the man’s heart softened. He agreed to help.

The Brother’s Quest Begins

As soon as the man left the brothel, he called Rani’s brother. When Rani’s brother answered the phone, the man asked if he was indeed Rani’s brother. The brother, suddenly filled with hope that there might be news of his missing sister, eagerly confirmed his identity.

The stranger then delivered information that would change everything:

“I cannot tell you who I am or identify myself, but I need you to know: your sister is at Brothel Number 68 on GB Road in Delhi. She wants you to come and rescue her. She has been trapped there for the past two months.”

When Rani’s brother tried to ask more questions about the caller’s identity, the man refused to provide any more information and hung up.

But finally—finally—the family knew where Rani was.

Journey to Delhi

Rani’s brother, crying, rushed to his parents and told them he had learned where Rani was. Without wasting another moment, he left for Delhi.

He arrived in a completely unfamiliar city where he knew no one. He had no clear plan for how to rescue his sister. He only knew he had to try. At minimum, he needed to see her—to confirm she was alive and assess her condition. After that, he would figure out the next steps.

The First Meeting

The brother first contacted the man who had called him. The man, who lived in Karol Bagh, reluctantly agreed to meet Rani’s brother at his home.

When they met, the man explained everything he knew about Rani’s situation. When Rani’s brother asked how he knew all this, the man, deeply ashamed, admitted he had been a customer at the brothel and had visited Rani three to four times.

Despite his shame, he offered crucial advice: “You still have a chance to save your sister, but you must be very careful. If you make any mistakes, both your life and your sister’s life will be in danger. These people are very powerful in that area. You cannot simply walk in and take your sister out. You need a strategy.”

Inside the Brothel

Armed with this information, Rani’s brother went to Brothel Number 68 on GB Road. He met with a female manager who introduced customers to the available women.

He told the manager he wanted a girl. She began presenting various women to him, but he rejected each one—because none of them was Rani.

After rejecting several women, he said he wanted a “fresh girl” if one was available.

The manager then called for someone to bring “that girl who came just two months ago—the one who is most in demand.”

Someone nearby commented that she was indeed very much in demand, her rates were higher, and she was currently busy with another customer.

Rani’s brother immediately knew they were talking about his sister. He said: “Even if I have to wait, even if I have to pay more, I want to meet that girl specifically.”

The manager agreed, and he was asked to wait.

The Reunion

Soon, Rani’s room opened. A customer left, and Rani stepped out. She saw her brother.

Although still not fully coherent due to the drugs in her system, Rani felt overwhelming shame that her brother was seeing her in such a place, under such circumstances. She wanted to speak but understood that silence was safer—if her brother was there, he must have come to rescue her, and she needed to play along.

Before Rani could say anything, her brother told the manager: “Yes, this is the girl I want.”

He paid the required amount and went into Rani’s room with her.

Behind Closed Doors

As soon as they were alone in the room, both siblings broke down crying—but they had to cover each other’s mouths to muffle their sobs so no one outside would hear and become suspicious.

Think about how heartbreaking this was: a brother and sister, reunited after two months of anguish, having to silence their own cries in a brothel room so their captors wouldn’t realize what was happening.

Once they composed themselves somewhat, they began talking. They lost track of time until someone knocked on the door, announcing that their time was up and they needed to leave.

The brother said he would pay double the charges to stay longer. His request was granted.

The Truth Revealed

Rani told her brother everything: how she had come to Delhi for what she thought was a job interview, how she had been given drugged tea, how she woke up in this nightmare. She described how, from that very first day, multiple men had raped her in succession. She explained how whenever she tried to resist or scream, she was beaten and forcibly drugged.

She told him about the constant abuse, the denial of basic necessities, the complete lack of freedom. She was trapped with no way out, no strength to fight, and no hope of escape.

Her brother, hearing all this, promised her: “Don’t worry. I will get you out of here.”

The Rescue Plan

After leaving the brothel, Rani’s brother faced a terrible dilemma. Should he go to the police? But what if the police were complicit? What if going to the authorities put both his and Rani’s lives at risk? What if reporting to the local police station only alerted the brothel operators, who might then kill Rani or move her somewhere else?

The pressure was enormous, and he couldn’t see a clear path forward.

Return Visits

A day or two later, he returned to the brothel, paid again, and went into Rani’s room. This time, he asked her what to do. How could he rescue her safely?

Rani had an answer. She had heard about a woman who frequently worked to help women trapped in situations like hers—women who were being held against their will or suffering abuse. This woman worked with the authorities to help rescue them through legal means.

The woman’s name was Swati Maliwal, and she was the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women.

Rani told her brother to seek out Swati Maliwal, believing she was their best hope.

Seeking Official Help

Armed with renewed hope, Rani’s brother left the brothel and went directly to the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). There, he met with Kiran Negi, a member of the DCW.

He shared the entire story with her: how his sister had come to Delhi for a job interview from Kolkata, how she had been drugged, how she had been held in Brothel Number 68 on GB Road for the past two months against her will, and how he had personally visited her multiple times in the brothel to confirm her location and condition.

The Response

Kiran Negi immediately understood the gravity of the situation. She called Swati Maliwal right away and explained everything, emphasizing that the girl’s brother was sitting right there, having just come from visiting his sister in the brothel. This was not hearsay—this was a direct, verified report.

Swati Maliwal then contacted DCP Central District Mandeep Singh Randhawa and informed him that a woman was being held against her will at Brothel Number 68 on GB Road. She requested an immediate raid to rescue the victim.

DCP Randhawa responded excellently. He agreed to conduct the raid and worked with the team to set a date: August 9, 2019.

By this time, Rani had been trapped in the brothel for nearly two full months.

The Strategy

They developed a careful plan. If they simply raided the brothel without warning, there was a risk that Rani might be hidden, moved, or even killed before they could reach her.

So they decided: On August 9, Rani’s brother would again visit the brothel as a customer and stay in Rani’s room until the police arrived to conduct the raid.

This way, they could ensure Rani’s exact location and prevent her from being moved or harmed before the rescue.

August 9, 2019: Liberation Day

On August 9, as planned, Rani’s brother went to Brothel Number 68 and paid to spend time with Rani. Once inside her room, he told her everything: “This is your last day in this place. Today you will be free from all these chains. Today you are finally going home.”

Both siblings sat in that room, waiting anxiously for the police to arrive.

The Raid

As scheduled, DCP Mandeep Singh Randhawa and his team arrived at the brothel and conducted the raid.

When they opened Rani’s room, they found the brother and sister together. Rani was safely extracted from the brothel.

The female manager of the brothel was arrested, along with everyone else involved in Rani’s trafficking and captivity—everyone who had played a role in this horrific crime from the moment Rani had been drugged at that fake “interview.”

Finally, after two months of unimaginable suffering, Rani was free. Her brother took her home.

The Aftermath and Recognition

At the time this incident came to light, people across India praised everyone who had played a role in Rani’s rescue:

Kiran Negi, who listened and acted immediately
Swati Maliwal, who used her position to coordinate with law enforcement
DCP Mandeep Singh Randhawa, who conducted the operation professionally and successfully
The anonymous customer who, despite his own shame and fear, made that crucial phone call
Rani’s brother, whose cleverness, courage, and determination saved his sister’s life

The brother’s approach was particularly praised. He could have panicked. He could have made rash decisions that would have endangered both himself and Rani. Instead, he:

Remained present during the raid to ensure his sister’s safety

The Reality of Human Trafficking

Rani’s case is not unique. It represents a pattern that destroys lives across India and around the world:

The Lure

Traffickers commonly use fake job offers with attractive salaries to lure victims. Young women looking for better opportunities are particularly vulnerable.

In Rani’s case:

The “job” offered ₹1 lakh per month (nearly 3x her current salary)
It required her to move to a different city (isolating her from her support network)
The “interview” was the trap

The Trap

Once victims arrive at what they believe is a job interview or workplace:

They are drugged (through tea, coffee, food, or drinks)
They lose consciousness
They wake up in captivity

The Captivity

Victims are held through:

Physical force and violence
Chemical dependency (forced drug addiction)
Psychological control (threats, shame, isolation)
Economic control (debt bondage, withholding documents)
Constant surveillance (preventing escape)

The Exploitation

Once trapped, victims are:

Forced into sexual slavery
Denied basic human rights
Beaten if they resist
Kept drugged to reduce resistance
Prevented from contacting family or authorities

Lessons and Takeaways

For Potential Victims: Red Flags

Unsolicited job offers

non-office locations

Vague job descriptions or unwillingness to provide company details

For Families and Friends

Always verify job offers independently

Accompany

regular check-in schedules

Research

Trust your instincts if something feels wrong

For Those Seeking to Help Victims

Contact specialized authorities

Document everything

Work with law enforcement

Plan carefully

Prioritize the victim’s safety

above all else

Resources for Help

In India

If you or someone you know is a victim of trafficking or sexual exploitation:

Delhi Commission for Women: 011-23379181, 23370597
National Commission for Women: 011-26942369, 26944754
Women Helpline: 181 (available in multiple states)
Police: 100
Childline (for minors): 1098

Anti-Trafficking Helplines:

Various NGOs operate helplines specifically for trafficking victims
Many operate 24/7 and can provide immediate assistance and guidance

Important Notes

These helplines can assist even if you’re not sure whether a situation constitutes trafficking
They can provide guidance on how to safely report and rescue victims
They maintain confidentiality
They work with law enforcement to conduct safe rescues

Conclusion

Rani’s story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. It shows the cruel reality of human trafficking—how easily someone can be lured, trapped, and exploited. But it also demonstrates the power of:

Familial love: A brother who never gave up searching for his sister
Courage: The bravery to enter a dangerous place repeatedly to save a loved one
Strategy: Choosing careful planning over impulsive action
Compassion: A stranger who overcame his shame and fear to make a life-saving phone call
Institutional support: Officials who took immediate action when presented with evidence
Persistence: Refusing to give up even when the situation seemed impossible

What appeared impossible—rescuing someone from a heavily guarded brothel controlled by dangerous criminals—became possible through intelligence, courage, cooperation, and determination.

This story reminds us that even in the darkest situations, even when all hope seems lost, rescue is possible if we approach the problem wisely and seek help from the right sources.

Rani’s two months of captivity were horrific and traumatic, but they ended. She went home. Her captors were arrested. And her story serves as both a warning about the dangers of trafficking and a testament to the possibility of rescue and justice.

If you found this article informative, please share it to raise awareness about human trafficking and the importance of vigilance when pursuing job opportunities.