Madhu, quite shocked by what this woman was saying, stared at her. Vidya calmly said, "Sit down. Now I'm going to tell you about a man named Badal Tomar. He's a brilliant doctor, but behind that, he's a businessman—and his business is abusing and trafficking women."
Hearing this, Madhu was stunned. "Women trafficking?" she asked, thrilled and disturbed.
Vidya nodded. "Yes. And one of the victims is my older sister." She began to tell the story. "Around seven years ago, this man, Badal Tomar, was known as a great doctor. He worked in a government hospital, treating only male patients. His real purpose was to keep female patients alive and smuggle them to other countries—places like Thailand, Malaysia, and others. By day, he was a normal doctor, but as night fell, he became a businessman. For years, he took women aged sixteen to forty by lying to their families, telling them the woman had died. To avoid suspicion, he sometimes returned one or two with positive results. Those were the lucky ones. Through trafficking, he earned billions in various currencies, most of them strong, making him a billionaire. In the early years, he worked alone, using a pharmacy to hide the victims, and at night, he smuggled them in public trucks. But now, with power in his hands, he has passed everything to his right-hand man, Lalan Raj, a thug. Lalan has hired his own men as fake doctors and continues the trafficking business."
Vidya then turned to Madhu and said, "Now, I'll tell you about my bond with my sister Nandini. From the day I was born, she was the only one I believed in. Even if the world ended, I could still live with her. She teased me, but always treated me like a baby. She fed me. We played together. Once, she protected me from seniors when I got caught in their conversation. She was my protector. And the job I'm doing today—it's all because of her," she said in a somber voice.
"One month ago, I was with Nandini. She had been married for two years and was pregnant. She was a teacher, on her way to school, when suddenly her stomach hurt badly. I thought it was due to the baby, so we rushed to Badal Tomar's hospital. In the chaos, I saw nothing but my sister. She was taken to the ICU. After one or two hours, a doctor came and said the baby was born but the mother couldn't be saved. At that moment, I was shattered. But deep inside, my instincts told me she was alive. I knew something was wrong. I took the baby and brought her to the grandmother. Her husband was away in Jammu on a tour, so I chose not to tell him and promised her mother-in-law to keep quiet."
She looked into Madhu's eyes. "After researching so much about them—and about you—I discovered that you are the only one who can help me solve this mystery, capture Badal Tomar, and save my sister."
As soon as Vidya finished speaking, Madhu, wearing a calm smile, softly said, "Yes, I can relate. My brother is just like that. He supports me in every situation—not just a brother, but like a father, a mother… everything to me. Everything he does is just to see a single smile on my face. For me, he's even sacrificed his own dreams. And now, I'm here because of him."
Madhu stood up with quiet determination and declared, "I will, Vidya ma'am. I will help you."
Hearing that, Vidya smiled. "That's it then. Meet me today at 7:00 PM at Shanti Dhaba. I'll tell you the plan there."
Madhu nodded in agreement.
---
Evening.
Madhu arrived near the destination. After a while, she spotted Vidya arriving in an auto rickshaw. The two sat at a table and began discussing the plan.
Vidya started, "Here's the plan. We just need a few photographs—of Badal's business and of the women he has taken. That's our proof."
Madhu asked, "But how do we get there?"
Vidya replied, "We'll pose as victims. You take me there as a patient. Since I'm an adult, they'll treat me. Once they take me in, I'll have a mini camera with me. I'll capture everything. The photos will automatically be sent to your phone. And then, it's simple—you hand them over to the lawyer. With that, we'll bring justice to all those women."
Madhu, now tense, said, "But you'll be trapped there."
Vidya smiled gently. "No. Once you've saved them, I'll return—with my sister."
Still, concern clouded Madhu's face. Vidya reached out and said softly, "Look, you're like a younger sister to me now. Just do as I say. I don't want to put you in danger. I want you to be safe."
Madhu gave a deep sigh and nodded.
Then Vidya said firmly, "We'll start the plan from tomorrow. I don't want any delays."
Madhu nodded in agreement.
As Madhu made her way home, her mind wandered. She questioned her role in all of this. Why did Vidya choose me? she thought. I'm just a communicator. The photos will be sent directly to the lawyer—so why involve me at all?
Before she could find an answer, she reached home. As soon as she opened the door, Rajesh looked up from the table.
"Where were you?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.
Madhu blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"
Rajesh pointed toward the wall clock. "It's already 9. I told you—just call me at night wherever you are."
Madhu lowered her eyes, remorseful. "Sorry, Bhaiya."
They didn't say much after that. They sat down and quietly had dinner.
---
Next Day
Madhu met Vidya again, and as planned, they swung into action. Vidya had taken a dose of penicillin to simulate a severe allergic reaction. They rushed to the hospital in urgency.
As they entered, Madhu noticed a suspicious-looking doctor pacing nearby. He wasn't just walking—he was waiting. Waiting for someone. The moment he spotted them, he approached, almost as if on cue.
Without much delay, he led Vidya into the ICU.
Madhu waited outside, tense. An hour passed. The doctor returned, his expression grave.
"I'm sorry," he said. "She's dead."
Madhu's heart sank. The words hit like a hammer—but deeper than that was the chilling realization: everything Vidya had told her was true.
She left the hospital, hiding the turmoil inside her. Behind her, the doctor narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he watched her go—but said nothing, and returned inside.
In the ICU, another woman—a nurse—was already helping. The doctor administered sleeping pills to Vidya, ensuring she remained unconscious. Then, he picked up his phone and dialed.
"Bhai, the work is done," he said.
On the other end, Lalan Raj's voice crackled through. "Good. Take her to the truck."
---
That night, around 1 AM, Vidya—still unconscious—was smuggled into a truck. The engine started, and the vehicle rolled away into the darkness, heading straight toward its destination.
But what will happen now?
Will Vidya succeed in capturing the proof?
Will the plan she and Madhu set into motion lead to victory—or disaster?
The story continues...