Vidya Sharma was a 22-year-old innocent girl from a modest family in a small town in Uttar Pradesh. With her long black hair usually tied in a neat braid, soft doe-like eyes, and a habit of wearing simple cotton salwar kameez with dupatta carefully pinned, she embodied the ideal of a traditional, well-raised Indian daughter. Her father’s elder brother — Tauji, 54-year-old Rajesh Pratap Singh — was a wealthy, influential man in the district. He owned several properties and ran a successful transport business. After Vidya’s father suffered a major heart attack, Tauji had generously offered to take care of the family’s finances and Vidya’s education.

“Beta, ghar ki chinta mat karo. Main hoon na,” (Child, don't worry about the house. I am here,) Tauji had said in his deep, authoritative voice when he visited the hospital. Vidya’s mother had tearfully accepted the help, and soon Vidya was sent to live with Tauji in his sprawling bungalow on the outskirts of Lucknow while she pursued her Masters in Literature.