*In a city where 15 minors were reported missing per day on an average in the past five years, will the parents of the disappeared ever get to see them again? The actual figure may be higher as the number of girls who went missing is under-reported. A reality check... *
Despite tall claims of increased security by Delhi Police, the capital continues to remain unsafe for children. Official figures show that 15 minors were reported missing per day on an average in the past five years.
Police claim to have traced and reunited over 85 per cent of the children to their families, but NGOs allege that the number could be more than double due to a huge element of underreporting in such cases, particularly when it comes to girls. Social activists say insufficient information database and ineffective tracking system also minimise missing children's chances of ever coming back home.
According to police, 27,700 children were reported missing in the capital from 2008 to 2012, of which 23,950 children were traced. Till April 15 this year, 1,766 children went missing, of which 1,157 were traced.
Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat says a case of kidnapping is registered suo motu when a child is reported missing. The description of the child is also immediately flashed on the wireless and uploaded on the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET).
If police are to be believed, the number of untraced children could be much less. "It has been our experience that parents and next of kin of a large number of children do not inform police when children return home. This is, perhaps, on account of the fact that they do not wish to subject their children to police enquiries," Bhagat adds.
In order to deal with the issue, Delhi Legal Services Authority, a statutory body appointed by the Delhi High Court, examined 457 children who had gone missing and returned home last year. It noted that a majority were driven by socio-economic and personal reasons to desert their homes. Most of them belonged to middle and lower-middle class families.
The study highlighted that 38 per cent had left on their own volition, 21 per cent after being scolded by parents, 17 per cent lost their way, eight per cent eloped and seven per cent due to academic pressure. Only three per cent was kidnapped or abducted with criminal intention. This data is used by police to create awareness during meetings with public.
Social activists, however, claim the number of missing cases is rising due to widespread network of trafficking in Delhi and neighbouring states. "Many children have gone missing from the capital and have been found in western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, and many missing from other states have been found in Delhi," says Rakesh Senger, member of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).
Senger says detailed investigation of each case should be done to track the network. "Police should also maintain a record of the arrested traffickers," he adds. One of the problems that police have faced about missing children has been the absence of photographs of children belonging to extremely poor families. To tackle the problem, police have launched special initiative 'Pehchaan' in which people living in slums are encouraged to get themselves photographed along with their children.
"A copy of the photograph is given to the family for record so that in case a child is reported missing, a photograph is available," Bhagat says.
Police also have District Missing Persons Unit (DMPU) at the district level and Missing Persons Squad (MPS) for the whole of Delhi under the crime branch to monitor cases of missing children. Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) are also present in each district and one in crime branch.
"If a child is not recovered within four months, the case is transferred to AHTU of the district concerned for specialised investigation. If it is felt that there might be involvement of an organised gang, the case is taken up by the crime branch," says Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime and railways). Cases with international linkages are transferred to AHTU in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Missing Persons Squad works as a connecting link or a coordinating agency between police stations in the 11 police districts of the capital. Whenever an FIR is lodged regarding a missing person, the details are sent to the MPS. On the other hand, any information regarding any unidentified body or an unconscious person is also conveyed to the squad. Cases where a person is not able to tell his or her correct identity or address are also reported to the MPS.
The job of the MPS is to match the details obtained from police stations. In case the details of a missing person and the body/unidentified person match, it informs the station head officer of the police station concerned. In cases where the details do not match, the MPS matches the details with the data or pictures available on ZIPNET.
A major hurdle faced by MPS is that it does not coordinate with investigating agencies in other states and misses out on information in case a child lost in Delhi is found there.
The Supreme Court has also laid out guidelines to be followed by the investigation officer for effective search.
"Photographs of a missing person shall be given wide publicity at all prominent outlets of the city/town/village concerned at railway stations, interstate bus stands, airport, regional passport office and through law enforcement personnel at border checkpoints," the apex court says.
If the child remains untraced, then 'hue and cry' notices shall be repeated. But in case of a girl, such photographs shall not be published without the written consent of the parents or guardians.
The apex court has directed police to regularly conduct raids in red light areas. If any minor girl is found there, she must be taken to a children home under section 34 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. Five brothels were closed in a drive against commercial sexual exploitation of women last year, and 938 children were rescued in 186 such operations.
Identification of children after tracing them also poses a major hurdle for police and other agencies in reuniting them with their families. Visible features such as height, weight, eye colour and complexion change rapidly during the growing years.
There is no provision in the capital for collecting DNA samples from family members of missing children. Experts say collection of DNA samples may prove to be a more effective method, compared to listing visible features or even collecting fingerprints for identification.
In a recent development, police withdrew a controversial circular that stated they would file a final report in cases pending for more than a year. It came after Delhi government opposed the circular expressing concern over increasing number of missing children.
The circular, issued on April 9, said if senior officials of the rank of additional commissioner of police and deputy commissioner of police are satisfied after the expiry of a period of one year that investigation into all aspects related to the case has been completed, they may authorise preparation of the final report in the case.
Union Women and Child Welfare Ministry had also written a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner, stating that the circular was against public interest and likely to be misused by investigating officials. It was feared that police officers would not take concrete action in recovery and rescue of missing children.
Ajay Singh, chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, Dilshad Garden, says that a time period cannot be fixed to deal with such cases. "Many cases are tracked one year after their institution. Continuation of the circular would have taken many pending cases out of the ambit of investigation," he adds. Reported by Deccan Herald 2 hours ago.
Despite tall claims of increased security by Delhi Police, the capital continues to remain unsafe for children. Official figures show that 15 minors were reported missing per day on an average in the past five years.
Police claim to have traced and reunited over 85 per cent of the children to their families, but NGOs allege that the number could be more than double due to a huge element of underreporting in such cases, particularly when it comes to girls. Social activists say insufficient information database and ineffective tracking system also minimise missing children's chances of ever coming back home.
According to police, 27,700 children were reported missing in the capital from 2008 to 2012, of which 23,950 children were traced. Till April 15 this year, 1,766 children went missing, of which 1,157 were traced.
Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat says a case of kidnapping is registered suo motu when a child is reported missing. The description of the child is also immediately flashed on the wireless and uploaded on the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET).
If police are to be believed, the number of untraced children could be much less. "It has been our experience that parents and next of kin of a large number of children do not inform police when children return home. This is, perhaps, on account of the fact that they do not wish to subject their children to police enquiries," Bhagat adds.
In order to deal with the issue, Delhi Legal Services Authority, a statutory body appointed by the Delhi High Court, examined 457 children who had gone missing and returned home last year. It noted that a majority were driven by socio-economic and personal reasons to desert their homes. Most of them belonged to middle and lower-middle class families.
The study highlighted that 38 per cent had left on their own volition, 21 per cent after being scolded by parents, 17 per cent lost their way, eight per cent eloped and seven per cent due to academic pressure. Only three per cent was kidnapped or abducted with criminal intention. This data is used by police to create awareness during meetings with public.
Social activists, however, claim the number of missing cases is rising due to widespread network of trafficking in Delhi and neighbouring states. "Many children have gone missing from the capital and have been found in western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, and many missing from other states have been found in Delhi," says Rakesh Senger, member of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).
Senger says detailed investigation of each case should be done to track the network. "Police should also maintain a record of the arrested traffickers," he adds. One of the problems that police have faced about missing children has been the absence of photographs of children belonging to extremely poor families. To tackle the problem, police have launched special initiative 'Pehchaan' in which people living in slums are encouraged to get themselves photographed along with their children.
"A copy of the photograph is given to the family for record so that in case a child is reported missing, a photograph is available," Bhagat says.
Police also have District Missing Persons Unit (DMPU) at the district level and Missing Persons Squad (MPS) for the whole of Delhi under the crime branch to monitor cases of missing children. Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) are also present in each district and one in crime branch.
"If a child is not recovered within four months, the case is transferred to AHTU of the district concerned for specialised investigation. If it is felt that there might be involvement of an organised gang, the case is taken up by the crime branch," says Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime and railways). Cases with international linkages are transferred to AHTU in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Missing Persons Squad works as a connecting link or a coordinating agency between police stations in the 11 police districts of the capital. Whenever an FIR is lodged regarding a missing person, the details are sent to the MPS. On the other hand, any information regarding any unidentified body or an unconscious person is also conveyed to the squad. Cases where a person is not able to tell his or her correct identity or address are also reported to the MPS.
The job of the MPS is to match the details obtained from police stations. In case the details of a missing person and the body/unidentified person match, it informs the station head officer of the police station concerned. In cases where the details do not match, the MPS matches the details with the data or pictures available on ZIPNET.
A major hurdle faced by MPS is that it does not coordinate with investigating agencies in other states and misses out on information in case a child lost in Delhi is found there.
The Supreme Court has also laid out guidelines to be followed by the investigation officer for effective search.
"Photographs of a missing person shall be given wide publicity at all prominent outlets of the city/town/village concerned at railway stations, interstate bus stands, airport, regional passport office and through law enforcement personnel at border checkpoints," the apex court says.
If the child remains untraced, then 'hue and cry' notices shall be repeated. But in case of a girl, such photographs shall not be published without the written consent of the parents or guardians.
The apex court has directed police to regularly conduct raids in red light areas. If any minor girl is found there, she must be taken to a children home under section 34 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. Five brothels were closed in a drive against commercial sexual exploitation of women last year, and 938 children were rescued in 186 such operations.
Identification of children after tracing them also poses a major hurdle for police and other agencies in reuniting them with their families. Visible features such as height, weight, eye colour and complexion change rapidly during the growing years.
There is no provision in the capital for collecting DNA samples from family members of missing children. Experts say collection of DNA samples may prove to be a more effective method, compared to listing visible features or even collecting fingerprints for identification.
In a recent development, police withdrew a controversial circular that stated they would file a final report in cases pending for more than a year. It came after Delhi government opposed the circular expressing concern over increasing number of missing children.
The circular, issued on April 9, said if senior officials of the rank of additional commissioner of police and deputy commissioner of police are satisfied after the expiry of a period of one year that investigation into all aspects related to the case has been completed, they may authorise preparation of the final report in the case.
Union Women and Child Welfare Ministry had also written a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner, stating that the circular was against public interest and likely to be misused by investigating officials. It was feared that police officers would not take concrete action in recovery and rescue of missing children.
Ajay Singh, chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, Dilshad Garden, says that a time period cannot be fixed to deal with such cases. "Many cases are tracked one year after their institution. Continuation of the circular would have taken many pending cases out of the ambit of investigation," he adds. Reported by Deccan Herald 2 hours ago.