AHMEDABAD: The reports of selling and lifting of infants from various parts of the state and the scare of children snatching give a disturbing picture of the society as a whole, but it also depicts the irresponsible approach of the state with the alarming data of missing kids aged up to 14 years suggesting that half of the missing children have never returned.
According to the figures of CID (crime), the state has been witnessing a shocking trend for at least five years where most missing kids aged up to 14 years, have not been found.
Even in Covid years of 2020 and 2021, kids disappeared and half of them could not be traced. Figures suggest that 255 boys and 407 girls went missing till September 2021, but only 113 boys and 193 girls were found by the police. So, 306 out of the total 662 kids, who were reported to be missing, were not found by cops.
In 2020, a total of 868 including 305 boys and 563 girls had gone missing. Of them only 410 including 140 boys and 270 girls were found. So, 458 kids including 165 boys and 293 girls were not traceable by the cops.
The similar figures could be seen in 2019, 2018 and 2017 but 2020 and 2021 witnessed situations like the pandemic subsequent lockdown, night curfews and excess deployment of cops to prevent public movement.
Anil Pratham ADGP CID crime, child and women cell, said, “Our department data reveals that around 92%-93% of the children who go missing return back. I will have to check the data published.”
