Months of waiting come to an end after rescuing 16-year-old Meera for the second time
We rescued 16-year-old Meera from Ganga Jamuna in April 2023. Her parents applied and were granted custody shortly afterward. Within two days of her release, we discovered she was back in prostitution in Ganga Jamuna, the same red-light area that she was rescued from. We presented our evidence to the police and once again the police and our team raided the brothel.
A terrified Meera ran away during the raid. For the next few days, we spent time back in the brothel looking for her. She never turned up. Our intel revealed that she had been moved out of the state, to Rajasthan. We contacted our sources in Rajasthan and tried to locate Meera but there were no leads on her whereabouts. We were at a dead end.
We continued surveying both regions for signs of Meera. At the end of September, we received the call we were waiting for. Meera was back in Ganga Jamuna. Not wanting to lose track of her, we immediately met with the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Nagpur. He agreed to initiate a raid.
On September 29, at 2:40 p.m. the police and our team raided the brothel. Meera was rescued. A 45-year-old brothel keeper was arrested. This time we will ensure that the police book Meera’s parents as perpetrators so that they will not receive custody of her again.
In October, a judge determined that Meera should stay in the custody of the shelter, despite claims made by the defense that she is over 18. The judge ruled all age documentation should be verified and each side should have opportunity to present evidence. Based on the police filing the case with Meera listed as a minor, she will remain in minor care at the shelter. This is good news for Meera and our team, and also means it is less likely the accused in her case will be able to get out on bail!
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