What can be worse for a mother than when her child goes out and never comes back. However, thousands of families in the national Capital are living with this sorrow without knowing the whereabouts of their children. On an average 20 families in Delhi face this trauma every day as 20 children go missing every 24 hours.
Despite the tall claims by the Delhi Police, the number of children going missing from the national Capital has increased alarmingly. Though the first quarter of this year is yet to be completed, already as many as 1,120 children have gone missing from the Capital. As per Delhi Police figures, at 621, the number of girls missing from the city is way more than boys.
last year, 7,572 children went missing from Delhi and again most of them were young girls — 4,166. The police found that 5,809 children went missing in 2013 and 3,686 in 2012. The police have found that 50 per cent girls fall prey to sexual predators. At the rate these crimes are being committed, the Delhi Police says, it is a big concern for them as they are still unable to crack the network of gangsters operating behind this. The police, however, have a success rate of tracing 50 per cent of the missing children as many of them are trafficked to other parts of the country and it becomes extremely difficult to locate them.
From peer pressure to family dispute, school phobia to elopement, the reasons varied but these children never made it back home. According to a detailed study conducted by the police, of the total missing children last year, 11 per cent eloped from home. Ten per cent fled due to family pressure and disputes. Nine per cent lost their way and went missing. Fifteen per cent ran away due to peer pressure and 11 per cent because of school phobia. Eight per cent of children ran away for being scolded and rest 36 per cent cases because of other reasons, which include kidnapping and sex-related crimes.
The biggest concern for the police is, however, of missing children below eight years of age. last year, the police could not recover 749 children below eight years of age and they still remain untraceable. When asked for the action taken by the Delhi Police, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Ravinder Singh Yadav said, “There is a standard operating procedure (SOP) approved by Delhi High Court in this regard. Whenever a child goes missing, the Delhi Police carries out an extensive drill to trace and locate the child. Every aspect is investigated and all the agencies work in coordination. The Crime Branch has been in the forefront to rescue missing children. We run “Operation Milap” to reunite missing children with their families.“
A dedicated team of Crime Branch keeps a tab on remand and juvenile homes and home shelters. Counseling of such children is done and they are handed over to their respective parents if they evince interest to live with their families, the Joint CP added.