Mumbai cops: SC ruling on missing kids cases and incomplete data create panic, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Social media messages and incomplete data have caused panic regarding child kidnappings in Mumbai.
• Mumbai Police clarified on December 14, 2025, that 98% of missing children in the past five years have been reunited with their families.
• As per the Supreme Court's directive in Bachpan Bachao Andolan vs Union of India, all missing minor cases are registered as kidnapping cases since 2013.
• From January to November 2025, Mumbai Police recorded 2,177 cases of missing/kidnapped children and rescued 1,974.

Detailed Insights:

• The issue gained traction after MNS chief Raj Thackeray cited NCRB data about a 30% rise in missing children cases over the last three years in a tweet to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on December 13.
• The Supreme Court's 2013 ruling intended to ensure seriousness in handling missing child cases, but it inadvertently created panic due to the mandatory registration of all such cases as kidnapping.
• Mumbai Police data indicates a rising trend in missing/kidnapping cases of teenage children between 2022 and 2024, with detection rates exceeding 96%.
• A significant portion of missing children are minors aged 14-17 who leave home with friends and often return within a few days.
• The focus on the number of "kidnapped children" without highlighting the high return rate contributes to public alarm.

Key Concepts Involved:

• NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau): A government agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data in India.
• Bachpan Bachao Andolan: An Indian social movement and organization committed to advocating for children's rights.