‘Duty of State Govt to Trace Missing Children and Women’: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court on Thursday (August 22) emphasized that it is the government’s duty to trace missing children and women.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar directed the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit detailing the measures it has taken to address such cases.

The court also sought a response from the Government Railway Police (GRP) regarding the steps taken to combat human trafficking. Additionally, the court sought suggestions from the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) on curbing human trafficking.

The PIL, filed by Sangli resident Shahaji Jagtap, called for a directive to the state police to trace over one lakh women who went missing in Maharashtra between 2019 and 2021. The petition expressed concern over the perceived inaction by state authorities in cases involving missing women and children.

The petitioner’s advocate, Manjiri Parasnis, informed the court on Thursday that Jagtap’s own daughter had gone missing. In the course of searching for her, he discovered alarming information provided by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in the Lok Sabha on March 14, 2023, indicating a high number of missing children in Maharashtra.

The data showed that 4,562 children were reported missing in 2019, 3,356 in 2020, and 4,129 in 2021. Additionally, over one lakh cases of women aged 18 and above going missing were reported in Maharashtra during these three years.

The court observed in its order that there could be various reasons for children and women going missing. “However, it is the state’s duty to trace them, protect them, and, if necessary, place them in safe custody. One possible cause for the staggering number of missing children and women is the menace of human trafficking. All relevant authorities, including government departments, police, and railways, need to collaborate to address this issue,” the bench stated.

The court scheduled the next hearing for October 4.