Mumbai police have reported a sharp rise in cases of missing children, raising serious concern across the city. According to officials, 82 minors have gone missing in just 36 days, pointing to a worrying trend.
Police data shows that between June and December this year, at least 145 children were reported missing in Mumbai. Out of them, 93 were girls. Between November 1 and December 6 alone, 82 cases were registered, with older teenagers forming the largest group. Among these were 41 girls and 13 boys below the age of 18.
Officials also confirmed that very young children are among the missing. Girls as young as five years old and boys up to 11 years old were reported missing during this period, adding to the seriousness of the situation.
Cases have been registered at several police stations, including Kurla Village, Vakola, Powai, Malwani and Sakinaka, showing that the issue is not limited to one area but spreads across different parts of Mumbai.
A senior police officer said, “The number of missing children cases in recent weeks is alarming. We are investigating all possible angles, including organised networks.”
Police suspect that human trafficking could be a major reason behind many of these disappearances. “Trafficking remains a strong possibility in several cases, and special teams are working on these leads,” an official added.
Monthly figures further underline the scale of the problem. In June, 26 children, all girls, were reported missing. July saw 25 cases, including 15 boys and 10 girls. In August, 19 children went missing, followed by 21 cases in September. October recorded 19 cases, while November alone saw 24 children reported missing. So far in December, 11 children have already gone missing.
