Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Missing children cases are emerging as a grave national concern, with fresh data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealing that 1,27,874 children below the age of 18 went missing across India in 2022, averaging nearly 350 children every single day.
Top States With Highest Missing Children Cases
According to NCRB figures, the crisis is particularly severe in a few states. West Bengal tops the list with 19,540 missing children, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 15,087 and Bihar with 12,600 cases. Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh also feature prominently among the worst-affected states. These numbers highlight deep-rooted social and administrative challenges in child safety and monitoring mechanisms across large parts of the country.
Recovery Data Offers Partial Relief
Out of the total missing children reported in 2022, 80,561 were traced and rescued, offering some relief. However, a staggering 47,313 children remain untraced, continuing to cause anguish for families and raising serious questions about enforcement, coordination and preventive systems. Despite recovery efforts, the gap between reported and traced cases underscores the scale of the problem.
Jharkhand Ranks 20th Despite Trafficking Risks
Jharkhand stands at the 20th position nationwide, with 748 children reported missing in 2022. Of these, 335 children were successfully traced. Although the state does not figure among the top ten, experts warn that Jharkhand remains vulnerable due to persistent issues of human trafficking, especially affecting girls from rural areas who are often lured with false promises of employment or forced into domestic work.
Girls More Vulnerable To Trafficking And Exploitation
Data trends show that girls account for a significantly higher proportion of missing children. Many fall victim to human trafficking, sexual exploitation, forced marriages and other criminal activities. Child rights experts stress that stronger inter-state coordination, awareness campaigns, and sustained operations like ‘Operation Muskan’ are essential to curb this growing menace.
