Mumbai Police refutes social media claims on missing children in city

Mumbai Police refuted social media claims about 82 children missing in 36 days, calling the messages misleading. They highlighted their 98% success rate in reuniting minors with families over five years and urged citizens to trust official sources.

Mumbai Police on Sunday refuted claims about the number of missing children in the city, stating that social media messages "do not reflect true facts."

Social Media Claims Spark Concern

Several social media posts making rounds for a week on X claimed that 82 children have gone missing in the city in 36 days. Even the Mumbai Congress shared the claim on X, asking the Mahayuti government to take action. "In Mumbai, 82 children have gone missing in just 36 days, most of them girls. This is deeply concerning. The Mahayuti government must take immediate and effective steps to ensure child safety. Every child deserves a safe and protected environment," Mumbai Congress said.

Mumbai Police Refutes Claims, Cites High Success Rate

In response, Mumbai Police said that over the last five years, 98 per cent of minors have been successfully reunited with their families. "Facts about misleading messages regarding children missing from Mumbai. The messages being circulated on social media about missing children do not reflect true facts. Mumbai Police prioritises every case of a missing child with utmost seriousness and empathy," Mumbai Police said.

"As per the Supreme Court judgement in Bachpan Bachao Aandolan vs Union of India, all missing cases of minors are registered as kidnapping cases. Over the last five years, 98 per cent of minors (up to the age of 18) have been successfully reunited with their families, and this year is no exception. Our efforts continue relentlessly, and the search never ends until every missing child is traced," the X post added.

Operational Efforts and Public Advisory

Police stated that multiple teams of the Crime Branch, local units, and Special Cells are deployed to trace the missing child and urged citizens not to spread unverified information on social media. Police said, "A recent example is the rescue from Varanasi by MRA Marg Police Station of a four-year-old girl who was missing from Mumbai for the last six months. For us, every child matters, every family matters, and we remain unwavering in our resolve to protect them. Multiple teams, including the Crime Branch, local units, and Special Cells, are being deployed to trace the missing child and ensure swift action."

"We urge citizens to avoid believing and spreading unverified information and to place their trust in official sources," the X post read.

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