Mumbai: 145 children, including 93 girls, missing in 7 months
What's the story
Mumbai has witnessed a sharp rise in cases of missing children, with 145 minors disappearing between June and December, according to police records, NDTV reported. The figures include 93 girls. Of the total cases registered between November 1 and December 6 alone, older teenagers were most affected, with over half being older teens. These include 41 girls and 13 boys under the age of 18.
Investigation underway
Police suspect human trafficking in children's disappearances
Among the missing children are very young girls aged up to five years and boys up to 11 years. The cases have been registered at several police stations across the city, including Kurla Village, Vakola, Powai, Malwani, and Sakinaka. This indicates that the problem is widespread in different parts of Mumbai. Police suspect human trafficking to be the main reason behind these disappearances.
Monthly statistics
Monthly breakdown of missing children in Mumbai
In June, 26 children (all girls) went missing. July saw 25 disappearances (15 boys and 10 girls), while August recorded 19 cases (5 boys and 14 girls). September had 21 missing children (6 boys and 15 girls), and October saw another spike with 19 disappearances (12 boys and seven girls). November recorded a high of 24 missing minors (nine boys and 15 girls), while December so far has seen 11 disappearances (five boys and six girls).
Safety measures
Activists demand 'Child Safety Alert' system in Mumbai
The rising numbers have sparked demands from activists and child rights groups for a dedicated "Child Safety Alert" system in the city. The police are now investigating all possible angles to find out what could be behind these disappearances. The investigation is still underway as police explore all possible angles to determine the causes behind these disappearances.