Question : MISSING CHILDREN

(a) whether cases of missing children have increased in the country;

(b) if so, whether the Government has identified the reasons behind such increase;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the number of such cases registered, accused arrested, convicted, children traced/untraced, conviction rate achieved and the steps taken to trace all the missing children along with the action taken against the guilty, separately during each of the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise;

(d) whether the Supreme Court has recently expressed its concern over the failure of the State Governments in taking measure to track missing children and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Supreme Court has also directed the Union Government to create a Central data-base and set up special police units to trace the missing children;

(f) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Union Government thereto; and (g) the details of the advisories issued by the Government to the States in this regard along with the other corrective steps taken by the Government to prevent such cases in future?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) & (b): As per information available, with National Crime Records Bureau a maxed trend has been observed with regard to cases of missing children, for the years 2011 – 2014. The rise in number of cases can be attributed to better registration in pursuance of Hon’ble Supreme Court’s direction on mandatory filing of FIR in case of missing children.

(c): As per data available with National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the data regarding missing, traced/untraced gender-wise Children and total number of cases registered / chargesheeted / convicted, persons arrested / chargesheeted / convicted, along with crime rate under kidnapping and abduction for the years 2011 – 13 is given at Annexure A and B respectively.

(d): While adjudicating W.P. (Civil) no. 75 of 2012, Bachpan Bachao Andolan vs. UoI, on 23rd September, 2014 the Hon’ble Supreme Court has expressed concern over several inadequacies in the existing system prevalent in the States to track missing children.

(e) & (f): Hon’ble Supreme Court while adjudicating on the aforesaid Writ Petition in 2013 had directed to launch a computerized programme (website), which would create a network between all child care institutions at every level and police to serve as a central data bank. Ministry of Women and Child Development in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated a web portal named ‘Track Child’ in the country which is aimed at maintaining real time data of all missing children containing extensive identification details to facilitate matching of missing and recovered children.

(g): In pursuance to Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order, Ministry of Home Affairs has circulated an advisory dated 25th June, 2013 to file mandatory FIR in case of missing children.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had also issued a detailed Advisory on missing children and steps to be taken for tracing the children on 31st January, 2012. It includes various directions to States / UTs like computerization of records, involvement of NGOs and other organizations, community awareness programmes etc.

A comprehensive pro-forma has been circulated to all States/UTs to facilitate better data collection on missing and found children.