Nagpur: The Second Capital City of Nagpur witnessed a total of 13860 persons, including boys, girls, men and women, going missing in the past over four years – from 2012 till August 2016. Out of them, 12182 turned out to be lucky ones as they were traced by cops or might have returned themselves. A search is going on to find the remaining 1678 persons.
This information was revealed Public Relations and Information Department of Police Department in response to an RTI query posed by activist Abhay Kolarkar.
Year-wise break-up:
In the year 2012, 354 boys, 563 girls, 956 men and 1049 women went missing. Of them, 333 boys, 530 girls, 824 men and 948 women traced. Year 2013 saw 278 boys, 558 girls, 1107 men and 1206 women missing and the found include 262 boys, 528 girls, 906 men and 1123 women. The figures for 2014 are 206 boys, 410 girls, 1154 girls, and 1225 women on missing front and 197 boys, 356 girls, 1001 men and 1136 women on found list. In 2015, 91 boys, 178 girls, 1261 men and 1255 women were on missing record and 84 boys, 168 girls, 1058 men and 1120 women traced. In 2016 till August 31, cops had to search 61 boys, 89 girls, 919 men and 940 women and they succeeded in locating 52 boys, 79 girls, 708 men and 769 women.
Out of the 1678 persons untraced, the number of boys is 62, 137 girls, 900 men and 579 women.
“Muskan” and “Smile”
The city cops undertook “Operation Muskan” drive twice – From July 1 to 31 in 2015 and January 1 to 31 in 2016. Similarly, the “Operation Smile” campaign was undertaken from April 1 to 30 in 2016. Both the campaigns are aimed at tracing the missing minor children in Nagpur. In “Operation Muskan” drive of July 2015, 34 minor boys and 109 minor girls were traced. Similarly, the “Operation Smile” succeeded in locating 53 minor boys and 88 minor girls.
Dubious distinction and success, too:
The RTI reply further reported that Jaripatka, Nandanvan, Hudkeshwar, Gittikhadan and Pachpaoli Police Stations earned a dubious distinction as maximum children went missing in their jurisdictions. On the other hand, Gittikhadan, Lakadganj, Sadar, Nandanvan, Pratapnagar and Jaripatka Police Stations tasted enormous success in “Operation Muskan” and “Operation Smile.”
Special teams comprising personnel from police stations, Social Security Branch, Crime Branch have been formed for implementation of “Operation Muskan” and “Operation Smile” in accordance with the directives of Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi. Subsequent campaigns were undertaken to trace the missing kids.
