Mumbai is experiencing a worrying rise in missing minors. In just 36 days, 82 children disappeared, part of a total of 145 missing over seven months.
Mumbai is facing a deeply worrying situation as police data shows that 145 children have gone missing across the city over the last seven months. Among them are 93 girls, a figure that has raised serious alarm among authorities, parents and child rights groups.
What is even more unsettling is how sharply the numbers have risen in recent weeks. In just 36 days (between November 1 and December 6) as many as 82 children were reported missing.
Teenagers Form the Largest Group
Police records suggest that teenagers are the most affected. More than half of the children reported missing during the recent spike were adolescents up to the age of 18, including 41 girls and 13 boys.
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At the same time, cases involving very young children have also come to light. Police confirmed that girls as young as five and boys up to 11 years old are among those who have gone missing, highlighting how vulnerable children of all ages remain.
Not Limited to One Area
The missing cases have been reported from several parts of Mumbai, including Kurla Village, Vakola, Powai, Malwani and Sakinaka. Officers say the spread across multiple police stations suggests this is not an isolated problem but one affecting the city as a whole.
Trafficking Fears Loom Large
Investigators suspect that human trafficking may be behind many of these disappearances. While officials are still examining each case individually, they say the pattern is worrying and requires urgent attention.
Police are also looking into other possibilities such as kidnapping, children leaving home on their own, and family-related disputes.
Month-Wise Data Paints a Grim Picture
The police data shows how the numbers have steadily added up:
- June: 26 children (all girls)
- July: 25 children (15 boys, 10 girls)
- August: 19 children (5 boys, 14 girls)
- September: 21 children (6 boys, 15 girls)
- October: 19 children (12 boys, 7 girls)
- November: 24 children (9 boys, 15 girls)
- December (so far): 11 children (5 boys, 6 girls)
Calls Grow for Faster Alerts
The rising cases have sparked fresh demands from activists and child rights organisations for a dedicated Child Safety Alert system in Mumbai. They say faster public alerts and better coordination could make a crucial difference in finding missing children early.
