Mumbai: In an extremely shocking revelation of data reported by Mumbai Police, one of India’s most populated regions with a population exceeding 20 million, an alarming number of children go missing every day. According to statistics from the Police department, an average of 10 minors disappear daily, lost amidst the chaos of the city’s busy streets. From January to September 2023 alone, 1,558 children were reported missing, translating to an average of 173 disappearances every month.
However, while the police boast a remarkable detection rate of 90 per cent to 95 per cent, the troubling reality remains with a small but significant 2 per cent to 5 per cent of these cases remain unsolved, leaving families desperate for answers.
Table based on the Mumbai Police report
| Year / Category | Total Missing | Found | Still Missing | Recovery Rate (%) |
| Boys under 18 | ||||
| 2021 | 496 | 482 | 14 | N/A |
| 2022 | 597 | 583 | 14 | 98% |
| 2023 | 646 | 620 | 26 | 96% |
| Until Sept 2024 | 480 | 443 | 37 | N/A |
| Girls under 18 | Total Missing | Found | Still Missing | Recovery Rate (%) |
| 2021 | 1,256 | 1,235 | 21 | N/A |
| 2022 | 1,330 | 1,304 | 26 | N/A |
| Until Sept 2023 | 1,336 | 1,301 | 35 | N/A |
| Until Sept 2024 | 1,078 | 967 | 111 | N/A |
| Women (18 and above) | Total Missing | Found | Still Missing | Recovery Rate (%) |
| Until Sept 2024 | 3,252 | 2,676 | 616 | N/A |
| Men (18 and above) | Total Missing | Found | Still Missing | Recovery Rate (%) |
| Until Sept 2024 | 3,300 | 2,552 | 775 | N/A |
Mumbai’s ray of hope?
Amidst the dawning sun, Rajesh Pandey, a senior head constable posted at Andheri Police Station is the ray of hope gaining recognition for his role in reuniting missing children with their families. Since 2011, Pandey has helped bring thousands of children home. One of his recent cases involved a 16-year-old girl, who had been missing for two months.
The investigation into her disappearance took a surprising turn when police discovered that a neighborhood boy had also gone missing around the same time. The boy eventually confessed that he had taken the girl to her aunt’s house in a village near Surat. Faced with initial resistance from the locals, Pandey, along with the girl’s father and stepmother, managed to bring her back with the assistance of the Inspector General of Surat Police. The girl revealed that she had fled due to tensions with her stepmother.
