05 November,2014 12:54 AM IST | | Chaitraly Deshmukh
To keep a close watch on child trafficking and kidnapping cases in the city, Pune police have started updating information about missing children on a government portal
Missing kids
With an average of five children going missing from the city every day, the Pune police has started uploading information on missing children on the government portal www.trackthemissingchild.gov.in. This website also allows them to keep a close watch on child trafficking and kidnapping cases.
The portal allows police officials to upload images and details of the missing children and all police stations in the state can contribute in the investigations
City police statistics show that the number of missing girls is more than boys. Figures from the Social Security Cell (SSC) of the city police reveal that in 2012, 736 girls went missing. Of these, only 529 girls were found while the remaining 207 are still untraceable.
In 2013, the number of missing girls reached 1,064, of which, 476 girls were found and 588 are still untraceable. This year till September, 603 girls were reported missing. 239 of them have been found and efforts are in progress to trace the other 364.
Among the boys, in 2012, 518 boys went missing. 365 of these boys were traced and the police are yet to find the remaining 153 kids. In 2013, 257 of the 582 missing boys were located while the other 325 are still untraceable. In 2014, in just nine months, 310 boys went missing of which only 114 were traced.
City based NGOs working towards this cause claim that the missing children most likely become victims of human trafficking, bonded labour or begging rackets.
Other reasons are torrid love affairs and parents fighting.
The national portal was launched after the court issued a directive regarding this.
The portal is in the name of National Tracking system for Missing and Vulnerable Children run by the Ministry of Women and Child development.
Officialspeak
Sanjay Nikam, inspector in-charge of SSC said, "Some of the reasons behind children going missing due to fear of failing in exams, fights with parents or domestic issues. The government has started a centralised system where police can upload images of not only the missing children in their jurisdiction but also the children traced or found. All the police stations can now immediately upload the pictures of such children along with their description."
Stressing on the importance of the site, Assistant Police Inspector Jyoti Rajeshirke from SSC said, "Many times, the police find missing children from New Delhi and other states but the communication and information gathering about the child's original address was an issue. This portal can upload the image and details of the child and all police stations in the state can contribute in the investigations."
Anuradha Sahasrabudhe, Executive Director of Dnyandevi Childline said, "There are many websites devoted to missing children but there is no uniformity and coordination among them. This centralised website will help the cause and help curb crime against children."
