Minors Missing: 145 Children, Including 93 Girls, Go Missing In Mumbai In 7 Months
Minors Missing: 145 Children, Including 93 Girls, Go Missing In Mumbai In 7 Months
Spike in missing minors raises concerns over trafficking networks, policing gaps and the urgent need for a citywide child-safety alert system.
Mumbai is witnessing a deeply troubling surge in cases of missing children, with police data revealing that 145 minors — including 93 girls — have disappeared between June and December. The crisis intensified in the past five weeks alone, as 82 children went missing between November 1 and December 6, triggering widespread alarm among parents, activists and law-enforcement officials.
According to police records, older teenagers are the most vulnerable, with 41 girls and 13 boys aged up to 18 among the recently missing. But the spike is not limited to adolescents; cases include girls as young as five and boys up to 11 years old, indicating that the risk extends across age groups.
The cases have been registered across several police stations — including Kurla Village, Vakola, Powai, Malwani and Sakinaka — highlighting that the problem is citywide rather than localised. Investigators say they are probing all possibilities, but human trafficking is currently the primary suspected cause, given the pattern and frequency of disappearances.
Month-Wise Breakdown Of Missing Children:
June: 26 (all girls)
July: 25 (15 boys, 10 girls)
August: 19 (5 boys, 14 girls)
September: 21 (6 boys, 15 girls)
October: 19 (12 boys, 7 girls)
November: 24 (9 boys, 15 girls)
December (till now): 11 (5 boys, 6 girls)
The escalating numbers are raising urgent questions about whether current tracking and response mechanisms are adequate. Child-rights activists say Mumbai needs a dedicated “Child Safety Alert” system, similar to AMBER Alerts used internationally, to fast-track investigations and mobilise community support in the crucial early hours after a child goes missing.
Police have launched detailed investigations into all reported cases and are coordinating with anti-trafficking units. However, with the count rising month after month, families and advocacy groups insist that stronger preventive measures, quicker intervention protocols and widespread public awareness campaigns must now become a priority to protect vulnerable children across the city.
