Punjab’s missing kids: 9884 in 9 years, no trace of 1450

In a startling revelation, as many as 9884 children below18 have gone missing or kidnapped in Punjab since 2013. The state police have been able to locate 6941 children while there is no trace of remaining 1450 children. The kids below 18 have gone missing or kidnapped from both public and private sector run shelters in Punjab. 

An RTI activist Akash Verma from Patiala who filed a complaint to the National Commissioner for Protection of Children Right (NCPCR) sought immediate directions so that the hapless victims are saved and do not fall prey to human trafficking or any other criminal activities. Activist Verma alleged that most of the kids run out of orphanages because of sexual exploitation that is quite rampant.  

The activist said he obtained the yearwise information from the office of Assistant Inspector General of Police after filing a complaint to the First Appellate authority, regarding the missing or kidnapped children under RTI Act. 

As per the information, as many as146 children are still untraced in Jalandhar, followed by 117 in Ludhiana, 117 in Amritsar, 117 in SAS Nagar. There are many other districts from where kids are yet to be traced.  

The activist alleged that this figure depicts the fact that the Police Department of Punjab has failed to take the effective steps to trace minor children that went missing or were kidnapped. The minor children might be used for human trafficking purposes. He said in the data of missing children the maximum number is of girl children. As compared to boys, girl children were kidnapped or remained missing in the past few years.

Notably, till 2020, total 1019 girls are missing and could not be traced whereas 431 boys that went missing are still to be traced.