Deepa Anappara's debut novel 'Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line' explores child disappearances in India

Deepa Anappara's debut novel 'Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line' follows nine-year-old Jai and his friends Pari and Faiz as they investigate the disappearance of children in an unnamed Indian city. The story is set in a basti shantytown overshadowed by luxury condominiums where police indifference forces children to become amateur detectives. Anappara draws from eleven years of journalistic work examining how poverty and religious violence impact education. Children in marginalized communities often leave school to work or face displacement due to persecution. National estimates suggest a child goes missing every eight minutes, many trafficked for labor, prostitution, or organ harvesting. Jai's perspective transforms media statistics into human stories, giving voice to those behind the numbers. While searching the bazaar and questioning suspects, the young protagonists also navigate childhood realities: watching TV, playing cricket, and dreaming of scholarships. Their playful language contrasts with harsh social forces like gender expectations and religious ostracization. The novel's tension builds as smog-filled environments mirror political threats engulfing their lives. Published by Chatto & Windus, the hardcover retails for £14.99.