Patna: The mysterious disappearance of 5,958 children, 85 per cent of whom are girls, in Bihar between January and August this year has raised many eyebrows and question marks over public safety in the state.
Additional Director General Jitendra Singh Gangwar said that only 2,799 of them have been rescued in the state, while 3,145 are still missing. He also said that efforts are on to trace them. Gangwar said cops have launched a special campaign to verify the status of the missing children by visiting their homes and contacting their parents on the 15th and 16th of every month.
According to people in the know, many girls children are sold as brides and many are taken to brothels in Delhi and Mumbai. Boys are forced to work as domestic servants and labourers. A web portal, trackthemissingchild.gov.in, uploaded data on the missing, kidnapped, and recovered children. The Crime Investigation Department of Bihar is trying to collect details to identify the missing children.
Out of the total number, 5117 are girls and 841 are boys. Out of a total 2,799 children, who were rescued, 2,416 were girls and 383 were boys. ADG Headquarters said that Childline service is being operated by the Child India Foundation (CIF) and the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development for the safety of children. Under the initiative, police urged the public to use the emergency service 1098 for the safety of children.
A Childline Advisory Board, headed by the District Collector, has been formed in every district to oversee the operation of the service. According to the Police Headquarters, every police station head is the ex-officio juvenile welfare officer of his police station area. In the absence of the police station head, the officer in charge will discharge the duties as a Juvenile Welfare Officer to look after the welfare of children.
According to information, most children go missing from the Seemanchal area where international child trafficking gangs are active. According to estimates, 65% of the children missing from Bihar are from Seemanchal area alone. It is said that due to poverty, illiteracy, and lack of awareness, traffickers lure innocent children into their clutches. Child Protection Commission is assigned the task of safeguarding the rights of children.
