By Manoj Varghese

Mumbai: Anson Thomas, a national-level hockey player-turned-customs officer-turned-social activist- turned-film actor speaks to Manoj Varghese about his challenges and the plans ahead. Indian Currents portrays his work, as Anti-Human trafficking Day was observed on 30th July.

A biopic on Anson Thomas, who has given sleepless nights to brothel owners, traffickers, politicians and cops, is on the way to hit the cinema halls soon. He is the man behind to get several brothel keepers convicted and quite a few of them sealed. He is the Messiah for over 800 women and children rescued from the Red-light areas of Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and other cities.

Anson has spent over 30 years in the field of anti-human trafficking, bringing hope for the women trapped and exploited. In 2001, a group of 60 goons ransacked the court premises where he was to depose in one such case. At times, his victims, like brothel owners and traffickers, threatened and rebuked him openly. But it turned out to be a futile exercise. He would go to these Red light areas as a customer, do the recce and then inform the police. It is a tough task, as these brothels pay a huge sum of money to these cops. For him, the sex workers are his sisters, and the brothel owners, the women exploiters.

Anson had led a team of National Commission for Women to the Jamuna Mansion and freed 67 girls from the brothel-keeper. He accompanied another rescue team to help 37 girls stuck in a life of daily beatings and physical abuse. One of them told police later that though she feared the brothel-keeper, she was most afraid of “Thakur madam’’, a lady police constable on the payrolls of the brothel.

Experts say the number of prostitutes in India is close to 8-10 million. More than a million of them are believed to be children and adolescents. Girls have been lured to Mumbai and other metro cities from all over India with the promise of good jobs and a better life. But once there, those dreams turn into nightmares, as agents or even family members sell them as sex slaves to the brothels.

Anson Thomas spoke to Manoj Varghese about his challenges and the plans ahead. Indian Currents portrays his work, as Anti-Human trafficking Day was observed on July 30.

Childhood days: I was born and brought up in Mumbai, although my parents hail from Kerala. From my childhood days, I had a special affinity towards sports and was engaged in football, hockey and athletics. My parents never encouraged me for sports, instead wanted me to sit and study. I was a mediocre student. I completed M.Com degree from RA Podar College of Commerce and Economics, which was known for giving cricket stars like Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar and others.

Customs Job: In the sports quota, I got a job with Customs Department in Mumbai and was posted in key areas like Airport, Shipyard and other VIP zones. After working for 20 years, I opted for VRS, as I wanted to spend more time in social activities. Along with my job, I had taken up the social cause of liberating the trafficked women and children. At times, it was difficult to get the departmental permission, but managed with the spare time. In 2018, on the International Customs Day, the Department felicitated me by appreciating my bold efforts in the field of anti-human trafficking.

Rescue Operations: I carried out rescue operations with the help of volunteers, friends, relatives and police officials. At times, when cops didn’t cooperate, I would write to their senior officials. Once, 3 minor girls rescued in 2004 from a home in Mumbai were sent back to a brothel by a senior inspector with the help of a local politician. These girls were again rescued by the Social Service branch of the police after much persuasion with the help of Police Commissioner. On investigation, the senior inspector was found guilty and the punishment was that just his two incentives were stopped. I filed a complaint with the court to arrest the inspector under the Immoral Trafficking Act. This was the time, when the politicians, pimps, police joined hands and made allegations of conversion against me. A lot of pressure was mounted on me to withdraw the case, but in vain. And, I had the last laugh after 15 years, when they got arrested.

Inspiration: I was focused onto my sports, and had no clue about these Red light areas. On October 2, 1991, we went from the church for a picnic to Lonowala and were caught red handed by the priest while we were drinking beer. I felt insulted, as he rebuked me in front of everyone. Later, I realized that the priest scolded me out of his love and concern for me. I felt guilty about the sin and confessed before the Lord. As I prayed, all my immoralities came in front of me as a flash back and saw Jesus washing all my sins. I had an experience of being born again, as I confessed my sins, and gave my life to my Savior Jesus Christ.

New Beginning: The priest asked me to visit the drug addicts and HIV patients at the Zion hospital. I started sharing my testimony with them and encouraged these patients to lead a normal life. From there, I got the connection to Kamathipura, a Red light area in Mumbai. As I entered this area, all eyes were on me, some ladies inviting and some pimps suspecting. I carried Bible in one hand and a soccer ball on the other to play with their children. Slowly and steadily, I developed a strong bondage with the children of the sex workers. They were then taken to a common place, later called Navjeevan center, which was inaugurated by actor Sunil Dutt with 11 children. Later, the center was shifted to Muradabad and has now over 160 children. Owing to my good contact in the sports field, I took along cricketers like Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Ian Bishop, Joe Garner, Andrew Hudson, Nicky Bjoye, Harbhajan Singh, Murli Kartik and several Bollywood stars to this area.

Biopic: Pledge to Protect is a Hindi film to reach out to the masses that these women are not prostitutes and sex workers but our daughters, sisters and mothers and we have a duty to protect them. This movie not only depicts the Indian brothels but also that of Amsterdam and other places as to how women and children are lured and trafficked. The corruption in the system is so rampant that it’s too difficult to fight it out. I have scripted, produced and acted in the film. The book “Script writing in 21 days” enabled me to scribble my own story. The shooting, dubbing and editing of the film is over and is in the final stage of release. It is directed by one Suresh Jhade and edited by Sunil Yadav and Anil Yadav. Actors include Govind Namdeo, Ganesh Yadav, Sunil Pal, Mustaq Khan, Vaishnavi, Bhakti Chouhan among others. The film is of 2 hours 14 minutes duration.

Exploitation: Several women from Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were rescued. One such girl from Kottayam in Kerala had come over to Karnataka for nursing studies. Owing to her poor financial status, she came to Mumbai as a home nurse and was kept in a five-story building, which was a brothel. When I came to know about her, I sent a friend as an informer in the form of a dummy customer. With much persuasion and help of the police, we were able to liberate her from the brothel and shift to a protective care unit. Later I took her to a hospital for treatment with the help of Red Cross, but could not save her as she was HIV infected.

A 9-year-old girl was picked up from a bus stop in Tamil Nadu by a group of eunuchs and taken to Mumba Bhandup Sonapur. Three years later, when it came to my notice, I went as a customer paying 60 rupees to garner information and liberate her. An alarm was sounded by the eunuchs and I had to run for my life. Later I came back with the police and raided the brothel run by eunuchs and rescued 15 girls.

Award: I received a CNN Real Heroes award in 2009 for rescuing women and children from Red light areas. The award carried a cash prize of 500,000, which I gave it to a rescued girl from Nepal. While receiving the award, I shared my vision to see the Red Light areas into Green light areas, which became the talk of audience.

Future plans: Only the Lord knows what is in store for me in the future. I recently started a business, Sports Mission, in which we sell calendars, T-shirts autographed by celebrities. Now I focus more on preventing rather than rescuing or trafficking. I speak in churches, schools, and colleges about the consequences of getting trapped and to keep a watch on such trafficking girls. Hope this awareness message of Supreme Court judgments and pornography help in changing the mindset of general public. I want people to know that if one of us decides to come forward and save one such life, we can put a stop to this inhumane practice. Like the evil practice of Sati is no more, human trafficking will also come to an end.

(This interview appeared in the Indian Currents weekly on August 9, 2021)