New Delhi, March 02: Around 8,000 children, mostly from
poor families, have gone missing from the national capital in
the past two years and the FIR has been registered in only 765
cases, a recent survey has revealed.
"Between January 2007 to June 2008, a total of 7,912
children have gone missing from various localities and
ironically, police have registered the FIR in only 765 cases
showing the gross insensitiveness towards the families," a
recent survey by NGOs Naujawan Bharat Sabha (NBS) and Bigul
Mazdoor Dasta said.
The survey, based on the data collected from RTI
applications, shows that 80 per cent of missing children
belong to extremely poor families.
A joint team of the NGOs also met with the families of 82
missing children during the survey and found that some of the
aggrieved families have left the place where they were
residing at the time when their children were lost.
The figures provided by the police reveals that in case
of missing children they do not register FIRs in about 90 per
cent cases and just note them in their daily, it said.
According to the report, 1,832 (1,300 in 2007 and 532
till June 2008) children have gone missing from the national
capital's North-East district, of which 1,530 returned back.
A total of 1,432 children have gone missing from West
district, while 1,280, 1,192 and 1,130 from South, South-West
and East Delhi districts respectively.
The Crime and Railway and New Delhi districts tops the
list from where least number of children -- 58 and 144
respectively -- have gone missing.
The report also alleges that police shows insensitive
attitude towards the families of missing children who have to
face demeaning remarks, abusive language and demand of money.
Most of the parents themselves arrange money for the
advertisement and posters, it said.
Interestingly, police often mentions the reason of the
children, who are of the age group of one-year-and-four-months
and 12 years, having run away from home due to "love affair"
or "fear of studies".
The report demands for a CBI inquiry into the cases
fearing involvement of the criminal gangs, associated with
organ and flesh trade. It also asks for making the
registration of FIR mandatory in case of missing children.
The government should ensure that Supreme Court and
National Human Rights Commission's guidelines are complied and
action against the erring police officials taken.
It also demands for establishment of creches for the
children of workers, who have to go to work leaving behind
their children.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, March 02, 2009, 00:00