Nestled between two larger and more modern buildings in a village in northern India sits house number D5, an abandoned bungalow whose garden is now overrun with vines. Owned by a local businessman, the deserted house is spoken about in hushed tones for its role in a grisly tale that is yet to be concluded.
Nearly two decades ago, children and young women began disappearing without a trace from this quiet village of Nithari, located some 20km from India’s capital Delhi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Desperate families scoured nearby streets and repeatedly approached the police, but to no avail. As the number of disappearances continued to rise, eventually reaching a total of 19, fear gripped local villagers who started to refuse to leave home after midday.
