The release of Raakh on Prime Video has brought one of India’s most disturbing criminal cases back into public discussion. Starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, the crime drama is inspired by the infamous Ranga-Billa case, which shook the country in 1978.
The kidnapping and murder of Delhi siblings Geeta Chopra and Sanjay Chopra not only horrified the nation but also changed how many Indian families thought about the safety of their children.
Set in late-1970s Delhi, Raakh revolves around the aftermath of a brutal crime that leaves families devastated and an entire city living in fear. Ali Fazal plays Sub-Inspector Jayprakash, while Sonali Bendre portrays a school teacher and grieving mother struggling to cope with tragedy.
The case began on August 26, 1978. Geeta Chopra, 16, and her younger brother Sanjay Chopra, 13, were the children of Indian Navy officer Captain Madan Mohan Chopra. The family lived in Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan area.
On the evening of August 26, Geeta was scheduled to participate in the popular Yuva Vani programme on All India Radio. Sanjay accompanied her on the journey. Heavy rainfall reportedly disrupted travel that evening. After accepting a lift part of the way from Dr Ms Nanda, the siblings were dropped near Gole Dak Khana, still some distance away from the radio station.
When the family tuned in to listen to Geeta’s programme, they were shocked to hear someone else’s voice on air. Concerned, Captain Chopra went to the radio station and discovered that his children had never reached the venue.
Then, according to NDTV’s report, their bodies were discovered in a forested area on August 28, by a cattle grazer. The news sent shockwaves across the country.
