What do you think?
Rate this book
Trafficked Innocence
It is estimated that slavery is alive and thriving throughout the world today, and there are more slaves now than at any other time in human history. Human trafficking is one of the largest international crime industries in the world.
Abhishek and his beautiful family are bound by love and lead a pleasant life, just like any other family. Then one fateful day, the very fabric of their existence is ripped apart. The unforgiving hand of fate reaches into their happy bubble and snatches away one amongst them who is vulnerable. Suddenly, they find themselves in the throes of sadness.
A mother is sent into a downward spiral of fear and anxiousness. An innocent sister is unable to gather why evil has struck them, and a father is thrust into a world of uncertainty.
Will Abhishek find his darling little daughter? OR Will the ruthless underbelly of corruption and malevolence swallow her whole?
A distressed but determined father must face the grim reality of life in the red-light districts of Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai filled with despaired women, cruel pimps, corrupt politicians and broken systems. Follow him as he frantically races against time in the relentless search for his beloved one.
Abhishek and his beautiful family are bound by love and lead a pleasant life, just like any other family. Then one fateful day, the very fabric of their existence is ripped apart. The unforgiving hand of fate reaches into their happy bubble and snatches away one amongst them who is vulnerable. Suddenly, they find themselves in the throes of sadness.
A mother is sent into a downward spiral of fear and anxiousness. An innocent sister is unable to gather why evil has struck them, and a father is thrust into a world of uncertainty.
Will Abhishek find his darling little daughter? OR Will the ruthless underbelly of corruption and malevolence swallow her whole?
A distressed but determined father must face the grim reality of life in the red-light districts of Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai filled with despaired women, cruel pimps, corrupt politicians and broken systems. Follow him as he frantically races against time in the relentless search for his beloved one.
240 pages, Paperback
Published August 5, 2021
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 8, 2021
Sandesh Raj’s new novel Trafficked Innocence is a power packed novel about a father’s search for his child in India’s biggest red-light areas. The scaffold of the novel is built on human trafficking, which takes place for various reasons like slavery, sex work, begging, etc. The story of the novel features Abhishek as a potential protagonist. One day while travelling to some place with family, his some-months old daughter Munni goes missing at the railway station.
The entire family is shell-shocked. However, father Abhishek takes the leap of courage to find his Munni. He travels across many cities like Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai. He stays there around the brothels to keep a vigil on the abductors. In the journey, he finds many helpful and some cunning people who exploit him for their personal motif. While in his unrelenting journey, the author sheds light on the mechanism of prostitution, sex and begging rackets, trafficking, slavery of children to other countries and much more.
The story is compact and solely focuses on the search of Munni. However, it also reveals the hard and determined side of father who can go to any extent to protect his child. From Sonagachi to G.B. Road to Kamathipura, the journey of finding his child breaks him, tests his mettle, and puts him on an untoward path but Abhishek never gives up the hope. To keep the pain alive, there are stories of others as well. For instance, Fanta is a slave to Anna and consumes drugs at a tender age. He is bonded to pay the debt of his father but longs to return home one day. Likewise there is that teenage Karthik, who was too eager to tread the wrong path to break his virginity.
Abhishek learns much of the tricks and gains access to the grim and the naked reality of people involved into human trafficking in Mumbai, where he drives a cab, which also gives him access to peep into others miserable state.
Will he find his daughter? Even if yes – how will he rescue her? The rackets of human trafficking are tightly interlaced. Is Abhishek strong enough to fight alone the hidden devils? The novel makes up for an absorbing read. Human trafficking is a devil that not only ruins the life of children but also emaciates young men and women. The dark silhouettes of red-light areas are captured with keen observation. Sandesh Raj’s novels are high on message for the societies that flaunt of their civilization but hide the ugly truth of human trafficking. In all the light, this is a brilliant piece of literature by the author.
The entire family is shell-shocked. However, father Abhishek takes the leap of courage to find his Munni. He travels across many cities like Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai. He stays there around the brothels to keep a vigil on the abductors. In the journey, he finds many helpful and some cunning people who exploit him for their personal motif. While in his unrelenting journey, the author sheds light on the mechanism of prostitution, sex and begging rackets, trafficking, slavery of children to other countries and much more.
The story is compact and solely focuses on the search of Munni. However, it also reveals the hard and determined side of father who can go to any extent to protect his child. From Sonagachi to G.B. Road to Kamathipura, the journey of finding his child breaks him, tests his mettle, and puts him on an untoward path but Abhishek never gives up the hope. To keep the pain alive, there are stories of others as well. For instance, Fanta is a slave to Anna and consumes drugs at a tender age. He is bonded to pay the debt of his father but longs to return home one day. Likewise there is that teenage Karthik, who was too eager to tread the wrong path to break his virginity.
Abhishek learns much of the tricks and gains access to the grim and the naked reality of people involved into human trafficking in Mumbai, where he drives a cab, which also gives him access to peep into others miserable state.
Will he find his daughter? Even if yes – how will he rescue her? The rackets of human trafficking are tightly interlaced. Is Abhishek strong enough to fight alone the hidden devils? The novel makes up for an absorbing read. Human trafficking is a devil that not only ruins the life of children but also emaciates young men and women. The dark silhouettes of red-light areas are captured with keen observation. Sandesh Raj’s novels are high on message for the societies that flaunt of their civilization but hide the ugly truth of human trafficking. In all the light, this is a brilliant piece of literature by the author.
October 8, 2021
Do we ever think about the grave issues of human trafficking? If you go out on survey, probably many might not know as what it exactly means. But it is like a disease...widespread yet not visible to commoners. Why? Maybe they are not affected by it. Some poor unfortunate gets entangled in its web.
Sandesh Raj's new novel ‘Trafficked Innocence’ is a hard hitting on human trafficking and exploitation. This novel exposes what goes there and what type of people play the critical roles in trapping people and in rescuing innocent lives.
However, on one side the novel shows the grim status of people affected by it in the form of sex workers and slaves and beggars, on the other hand, the novel also takes into account the plight and feelings of the victims and their families.
Spanning across 3 major cities of India that houses biggest brothels, the protagonist Abhishek run pell-mell to get his Munni back. As the story starts, Abhishek was about to travel but at the railway station his few months old daughter Munni is taken by kidnapers.
No one helps him. He ventures on his own to hunt the culprits. This takes him to uncomfortable brothels to dingy streets to ordinary NGOs and more. After failing at Kolkata and Delhi, he begins his search at Mumbai from the scratch. To do that he drives a cab. Soon he gets information from various sources but before he could grab the opportunities, he is exploited by one vile politician Bhau and a local gangster named Anna.
The story is interesting and intense, I got the joy of reading and meeting many characters but in the end the novel ends at a heartbreaking point. Human trafficking is a least covered issue in India. The government has no rules and media never covers it. It’s an eye-opener sort of novel with terrific storyline and dominant narrative. The novel will leave you informed about human trafficking. Better be aware while traveling with family or kids. My heart goes numb at the outcomes of human trafficking.
Sandesh Raj's new novel ‘Trafficked Innocence’ is a hard hitting on human trafficking and exploitation. This novel exposes what goes there and what type of people play the critical roles in trapping people and in rescuing innocent lives.
However, on one side the novel shows the grim status of people affected by it in the form of sex workers and slaves and beggars, on the other hand, the novel also takes into account the plight and feelings of the victims and their families.
Spanning across 3 major cities of India that houses biggest brothels, the protagonist Abhishek run pell-mell to get his Munni back. As the story starts, Abhishek was about to travel but at the railway station his few months old daughter Munni is taken by kidnapers.
No one helps him. He ventures on his own to hunt the culprits. This takes him to uncomfortable brothels to dingy streets to ordinary NGOs and more. After failing at Kolkata and Delhi, he begins his search at Mumbai from the scratch. To do that he drives a cab. Soon he gets information from various sources but before he could grab the opportunities, he is exploited by one vile politician Bhau and a local gangster named Anna.
The story is interesting and intense, I got the joy of reading and meeting many characters but in the end the novel ends at a heartbreaking point. Human trafficking is a least covered issue in India. The government has no rules and media never covers it. It’s an eye-opener sort of novel with terrific storyline and dominant narrative. The novel will leave you informed about human trafficking. Better be aware while traveling with family or kids. My heart goes numb at the outcomes of human trafficking.
October 8, 2021
Trafficked Innocence features the story of Abhishek. His daughter is kidnapped at a railway station. It is likely that she becomes the target of human trafficking. Thus, he ventures on his own to search and rescue her. But little did he know that the web of human trafficking is no less than an ocean. He may be groping for years until coming across a slightest cue. Human trafficking means transporting humans like girls, women, and children for various heinous works like sex trade, slavery, bonded labour, and begging.
After ‘Eleven Minutes’ by Paulo Coelho, this is my second novel on human trafficking. While Eleven Minutes was soft and about a grown up girl who was way ambitious to earn money for her family back in Brazil. This one is innocent being trapped by a gang of traffickers. In this novel, the daughter is Munni who is hardly six months old. Abhishek’s search is relentless in the merciless crowd of Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi. Abhishek begins search according to NGO and other sources in brothels or areas around by.
He keeps a vigil by driving a cab but that is not enough. The novel presents others stories as well that are trapped in the clutches of human trafficking. Knowing their stories and miseries was ballast but also heartbreaking. The novel shuttles between these three cities mainly and Abhishek lives on hope. He is after something impossible. Will he succeed or return home empty handed? It is a novel full of hope and tragedies. I sighed in appreciation for not giving up. He indeed returns home but is he successful in his mission or something devious may took him by surprise. The world is a hardhearted place for people trapped in any form of human trafficking. Just for some people’s gain, millions of people are displaced and disconnected from their families. It’s a startling novel with shocking truths getting unfurled at each page.
After ‘Eleven Minutes’ by Paulo Coelho, this is my second novel on human trafficking. While Eleven Minutes was soft and about a grown up girl who was way ambitious to earn money for her family back in Brazil. This one is innocent being trapped by a gang of traffickers. In this novel, the daughter is Munni who is hardly six months old. Abhishek’s search is relentless in the merciless crowd of Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi. Abhishek begins search according to NGO and other sources in brothels or areas around by.
He keeps a vigil by driving a cab but that is not enough. The novel presents others stories as well that are trapped in the clutches of human trafficking. Knowing their stories and miseries was ballast but also heartbreaking. The novel shuttles between these three cities mainly and Abhishek lives on hope. He is after something impossible. Will he succeed or return home empty handed? It is a novel full of hope and tragedies. I sighed in appreciation for not giving up. He indeed returns home but is he successful in his mission or something devious may took him by surprise. The world is a hardhearted place for people trapped in any form of human trafficking. Just for some people’s gain, millions of people are displaced and disconnected from their families. It’s a startling novel with shocking truths getting unfurled at each page.
October 8, 2021
Trafficked Innocence by Sandesh Raj is another masterpiece that explores the shadowed side of our society: human trafficking. His books are easy-to-read but they carry intense message for the society, putting in another words, he writes about those subjects that are often kept ignored from the masses. His previous novel ‘The Burning School’ exposes the socio-economic and military conflict in Kashmir.
Trafficked Innocence features the story of Abhishek, a proud father of two daughters. Well, one fateful day when the family was about to travel, his toddler kid Munni was abducted. By the time they could realize anything, it was too late. With no clue in hand, Abhishek decides to take things in hand.
The author paints the grim picture of life in brothels, it is insightful yet embarrassing to think of their suffering. The story is intense, cohesive and at times looks tumultuous as Abhishek is finding a kid that is hardly a few months old. The biggest fear is her growth and changing countenance. Thus, he is running against the time. He has to find before the time slips off. A deep look inside reveals that human trafficking is linked with many people; it is a racket that gives money. So, approaching politicians, media, or police meant negligible help. As Abhishek meet more and new people, his knowledge about this heinous field augments invariably.
It is a novel that is full of story, covering various locations. Sandesh Raj has evolved as a writer. In this novel, he kept the tone engrossing despite knowing that search would be at selected places, thus, to avoid repetition he involved others’ stories to keep the momentum alive. The novel is neither hurried nor speedy, it chugs ahead with its own pace.
Trafficked Innocence features the story of Abhishek, a proud father of two daughters. Well, one fateful day when the family was about to travel, his toddler kid Munni was abducted. By the time they could realize anything, it was too late. With no clue in hand, Abhishek decides to take things in hand.
The author paints the grim picture of life in brothels, it is insightful yet embarrassing to think of their suffering. The story is intense, cohesive and at times looks tumultuous as Abhishek is finding a kid that is hardly a few months old. The biggest fear is her growth and changing countenance. Thus, he is running against the time. He has to find before the time slips off. A deep look inside reveals that human trafficking is linked with many people; it is a racket that gives money. So, approaching politicians, media, or police meant negligible help. As Abhishek meet more and new people, his knowledge about this heinous field augments invariably.
It is a novel that is full of story, covering various locations. Sandesh Raj has evolved as a writer. In this novel, he kept the tone engrossing despite knowing that search would be at selected places, thus, to avoid repetition he involved others’ stories to keep the momentum alive. The novel is neither hurried nor speedy, it chugs ahead with its own pace.
October 8, 2021
Trafficked Innocence by Sandesh Raj is a little bit dark-themed novel. I got it as soon as I saw its cover. I mean it’s a meaningful cover that shows that someone is on the way to find or search something. It indicates a difficult destination. It is way dark yet captivating cover, apt to the title and theme of the book.
After fiasco in Kolkata and Delhi, Abhishek sojourns in Mumbai for a longer time. He drives a cab to search his lost daughter. It is Mumbai where he comes across many characters that are the miserable epitomes of human trafficking. This trafficking is not so violent, in fact it also clutches people emotionally and indirectly. As you read the stories of Jamuna Bai and Smita – you will find the indirect connection of these people with prostitution but more or less they are caught in the web of circumstances. The story of Fanta is a perfect example of child slavery. Whether Abhishek is able to find his daughter or not, that is another story, but you will find yourself laced with the lives of people that are being driven by human trafficking. The novel is well-written and lifts the blinds from the silhouettes of the society that continues to ignore the problem of human trafficking. You must read this novel to know the fate of many affected by the hazardous human trafficking.
After fiasco in Kolkata and Delhi, Abhishek sojourns in Mumbai for a longer time. He drives a cab to search his lost daughter. It is Mumbai where he comes across many characters that are the miserable epitomes of human trafficking. This trafficking is not so violent, in fact it also clutches people emotionally and indirectly. As you read the stories of Jamuna Bai and Smita – you will find the indirect connection of these people with prostitution but more or less they are caught in the web of circumstances. The story of Fanta is a perfect example of child slavery. Whether Abhishek is able to find his daughter or not, that is another story, but you will find yourself laced with the lives of people that are being driven by human trafficking. The novel is well-written and lifts the blinds from the silhouettes of the society that continues to ignore the problem of human trafficking. You must read this novel to know the fate of many affected by the hazardous human trafficking.
October 7, 2021
Trafficked Innocence by Sandesh Raj bursts the gloomy underbelly of human trafficking. In India, human trafficking is a rampant problem, it targets innocent children and women and girls for a gamut of dreadful purposes like slavery, sex trade, begging, bonding, etc. But little did all Indians know that human trafficking is an unforgivable crime. India being a land of diversity and overcrowded at all metro cities is an easy target for human traffickers. Girls and children are abducted or trapped and then sent to abroad for various works like beggary, sex work, slavery, drug business, pleasure and much more. Once a soul is trapped in the web of trafficking consider it will only be liberated with death.
Sandesh Raj’s novel delves deeply in the chasm of human trafficking. It is narrated through a strong character named Abhishek. He loses his daughter to kidnappers. Being helpless and clueless, he ventures on his own to hunt down the gang. But the journey is not only long but also soul exhaustive. It is a great novel that lifts the veil from one of the most ignored silhouettes of our society. Will he get his daughter back? Maybe…Well-written and executed in a proper manner, the novel is tragic and intense.
Sandesh Raj’s novel delves deeply in the chasm of human trafficking. It is narrated through a strong character named Abhishek. He loses his daughter to kidnappers. Being helpless and clueless, he ventures on his own to hunt down the gang. But the journey is not only long but also soul exhaustive. It is a great novel that lifts the veil from one of the most ignored silhouettes of our society. Will he get his daughter back? Maybe…Well-written and executed in a proper manner, the novel is tragic and intense.
October 8, 2021
I have been reading the author Sandesh Raj for quite some time. He writes novels that sheds light on the hidden dark social evils. This time he comes up with human trafficking. This novel tells the tale of one father named Abhishek whose little child Munni goes missing from the railway station. He takes the journey to find her from one city's brothels to another. But the journey is not only tiring but also soul draining. He hops from Kokata to Delhi to Mumbai. Meets many people and in the process resurrects many lives that were groping for proper and human guidance. Much part of the novel takes place in Mumbai where he drives a cab in hope of finding his Munni at any random traffic signal or at road side.
The novel also explores the difficult side of people caught in the web of human trafficking, begging, slavery, transgender and so on. It is inspiring to see the hard side of a father who is ferocious and determined to find his child. Will he be able to do or fate has something else stored for him? The novel is inspiring yet tragic in snatches. All the details of red-light areas are thought-provoking, one thing is sure that the author did his homework properly for this novel. Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel but I was also heartbreak for Munni.
The novel also explores the difficult side of people caught in the web of human trafficking, begging, slavery, transgender and so on. It is inspiring to see the hard side of a father who is ferocious and determined to find his child. Will he be able to do or fate has something else stored for him? The novel is inspiring yet tragic in snatches. All the details of red-light areas are thought-provoking, one thing is sure that the author did his homework properly for this novel. Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel but I was also heartbreak for Munni.
October 8, 2021
A lot can be discussed and known through literature that is mostly based on personal hardship and diaries and stories. The novel ‘Trafficked Innocence’ by Sandesh Raj is one such good source in the form of a fictional novel that doles out the raw and first-hand coverage on human trafficking. The story is of one father named Abhishek. One fateful day, his just born Munni (daughter) is being kidnapped at the railway station. By the time the family realizes, it was too late to respond.
Police and others go clueless. What next? The distraught father takes the ordeal in his hand. He begins the search for his innocent daughter. He first goes to Kolkata, Delhi, and finally lands in Mumbai according to the internal sources. All these cities houses big brothels of the country. He drives a cab and meets NGO people and transgenders. He remains unfazed and hopeful. On the way many stories reach to us but all are heartbreaking. Human trafficking only brings heartbreaks. From story to pace to everything, the novel is good to read as it is also full of insights and ugly truth of our laws and society. A good contemporary novel.
Police and others go clueless. What next? The distraught father takes the ordeal in his hand. He begins the search for his innocent daughter. He first goes to Kolkata, Delhi, and finally lands in Mumbai according to the internal sources. All these cities houses big brothels of the country. He drives a cab and meets NGO people and transgenders. He remains unfazed and hopeful. On the way many stories reach to us but all are heartbreaking. Human trafficking only brings heartbreaks. From story to pace to everything, the novel is good to read as it is also full of insights and ugly truth of our laws and society. A good contemporary novel.
October 8, 2021
The story is of Abhishek, a father of two daughters, and one of his daughters is lost or taken by kidnappers for human trafficking. From Kolkata to Delhi to Mumbai, he keeps the search continues. He stumbles upon his daughter at few times but could not get to the final stage due to various obstacles. Tragic yet embarrassing!
The novel on one side delves deep into the grim basics of brothels and child slavery and human trafficking, on the other hand the book portrays the pain of a father running here and there for his daughter. He lives around the brothels for personal benefit but the way he comes across prostitutes is heartbreaking. Every person stuck in the web of trafficking has its own story to narrate…they are either forced to do terrible work or they are compelled by poverty and responsibilities. Despite all bitterness, the protagonist keeps changing the cities, even take the route of killing people, yet he is a father after all. A father’s duty is tough and it is brilliantly expressed through this novel.
The novel on one side delves deep into the grim basics of brothels and child slavery and human trafficking, on the other hand the book portrays the pain of a father running here and there for his daughter. He lives around the brothels for personal benefit but the way he comes across prostitutes is heartbreaking. Every person stuck in the web of trafficking has its own story to narrate…they are either forced to do terrible work or they are compelled by poverty and responsibilities. Despite all bitterness, the protagonist keeps changing the cities, even take the route of killing people, yet he is a father after all. A father’s duty is tough and it is brilliantly expressed through this novel.
October 8, 2021
With a strong storyline and intriguing characters, the novel puts all efforts to highlight the underbelly of human trafficking. It entertains but also sends strong message for the society that overlooks the issues of human trafficking, child slavery, beggary, sex workers position and much more. It is a good novel with solid stories inside of main to auxiliary characters. It is a relevant novel – highly readable.
The novel is full of many characters right since the beginning. It was mandatory as a novel against human trafficking needs to have stories of other’s plight and misery. From the protagonist’s home to Kolkata to Delhi to Mumbai, there are many sub characters. Imminent ones are Rupa, Fanta, Smita, and Bhau and Anna. There are more positive characters than the villains like Anna and Bhau. But the protagonist Abhishek is a sort of lonely man. He is hopeful yet distraught. The way he changes with circumstances and time is worth capturing. In fact a father can go to any extent to protect his children.
The novel is full of many characters right since the beginning. It was mandatory as a novel against human trafficking needs to have stories of other’s plight and misery. From the protagonist’s home to Kolkata to Delhi to Mumbai, there are many sub characters. Imminent ones are Rupa, Fanta, Smita, and Bhau and Anna. There are more positive characters than the villains like Anna and Bhau. But the protagonist Abhishek is a sort of lonely man. He is hopeful yet distraught. The way he changes with circumstances and time is worth capturing. In fact a father can go to any extent to protect his children.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews