A crime that shook Delhi nearly five decades ago is back in conversation, and the reason is 'Raakh', a new web series on Amazon Prime Video that brings the 1978 Ranga-Billa case back to the screen. Sixteen year old Geeta Chopra and her fourteen year old brother Sanjay Chopra had stepped out of their home to take part in a programme, but they never came back. When their bodies were found two days later, the entire country was left in shock. This was far more than an isolated crime, it sparked a serious national debate about the safety of children.
What 'Raakh' Is About and Who Stars in It
The eight episode series landed on Amazon Prime Video on 12 June 2026. Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Aamir Bashir, Aakash Makhija and Rakesh Bedi headline the cast. Set against the backdrop of 1970s Delhi, the story follows a city gripped by fear after two children suddenly go missing. The series puts on screen the dread, the grief and the long fight for justice that once stunned the whole nation.
26 August 1978, the Evening Everything Changed
The case goes back to an incident that openly challenged the state of law and order at the time. On 26 August 1978, Geeta and Sanjay, both children of a Navy officer, left home to participate in All India Radio's 'Yuva Vani' programme. They set off from Dhaula Kuan towards the radio station but never made it there. Heavy rain was falling that evening, so the brother and sister accepted a lift in a passing car. That decision proved fatal, because the vehicle belonged to two notorious criminals, 'Ranga', whose real name was Kuljeet Singh, and 'Billa', Jasbir Singh.
The Children Who Refused to Give Up
Ranga and Billa abducted both children, but Geeta and Sanjay put up a fierce resistance. Sanjay was a boxer and reportedly fought the criminals to the very end. It is said that Geeta even pulled the hair of the man at the wheel and called out to passersby for help. Several people did alert the police, yet a dispute over jurisdiction and a lax response meant officers failed to act in time.
From a Ransom Plan to Cold-Blooded Murder
At first the two men intended to demand a ransom. But the moment they realised the children belonged to a Navy officer, they plotted to kill them. Ranga and Billa drove the pair towards the Ridge area near Buddha Garden. Stopping the car in a deserted spot, they first killed Sanjay Chopra and then raped Geeta. Two days later, on 28 August, the mutilated bodies of both children were recovered from a wooded part of Delhi. Sanjay's body bore more than 25 stab wounds. The sheer cruelty of the act filled all of Delhi with fear and anger.
How Ranga and Billa Were Caught
After committing the crime, the two fled Delhi, first to Mumbai and then on to Agra. While returning from Agra to Delhi, they mistakenly boarded a compartment reserved for soldiers on the Kalka Mail. The soldiers recognised them, overpowered them and handed them over to the police. The court convicted both men, and in 1982 they were sent to the gallows. The case remains one of the most talked about crimes of that era.
A Bravery That Lives On Forever
The story of Geeta and Sanjay did not remain merely a tale of crime. Their courage and struggle stayed in the nation's memory. In their honour, the Indian Council for Child Welfare instituted the Geeta Chopra Award and the Sanjay Chopra Award, given to children who display extraordinary bravery. The two were also posthumously honoured with the Kirti Chakra. Even today their names are invoked as symbols of courage and grit.
More Than Just a Thriller
Calling 'Raakh' a mere crime thriller would not do it justice. It is a reminder of a deeply painful chapter in India's history, and at the same time a tribute to two children whose story still lives in people's hearts almost five decades on.
