Naidunia Representative, Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh has become one of the most vulnerable states in terms of missing child in the country. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for the year 2024, 19,131 cases of missing children were registered in the state, which stands approximately 13 per cent of the total cases registered in the country. This means that one in every eight cases of missing children in the country has been reported from Madhya Pradesh.
Missing Cases Are On Rise In MP
This number is approximately 19.44 percent higher than the 16,017 cases reported in the year 2023. An analysis conducted by the child rights organization CRY (Child Rights and You) revealed that an average of 52 children went missing every day in Madhya Pradesh during the year 2024, of which approximately 42 were girls.
Girls Stand For 80 Per Cent Of Total Missing Cases
According to the report, the share of girls among missing children has steadily increased, accounting for approximately 80% of the total. During 2024, 15,282 cases of missing girls were reported in the state. This means that approximately eight out of every 10 missing children were girls. This ratio was also 78.3% in 2023. Experts believe this figure raises serious questions about the safety and protection of adolescent girls.
Indore And Bhopal Most Affected
According to district-level data, Indore reported the highest number of cases at 1,124, followed by Bhopal at 726, Jabalpur at 613, Sagar at 571, Dhar at 487, and Khargone at 467. The data shows that this problem is not limited to major cities but is also rapidly spreading to rural and semi-urban areas.
Despite continuous efforts, 4,886 children in the state remain untraced. Although the tracing rate has improved, it reached 74.5 percent in 2024, compared to 69.8 percent in 2023. However, the large number of pending cases is a cause for concern.
Highlights Of Missing Data
- Total missing children in 2024: 19,131
- Total cases in 2023: 16,017
- One-year increase: 19.44%
- Share in national total: 13%
- Average missing children per day: 52
- Missing girls per day: 42
- Missing girls in 2024: 15,282
- Girls account for nearly 80% of total cases
- Children still unrecovered: 4,886
- Tracing rate (2024): 74.5%
- Tracing rate (2023): 69.8%
Gender-Sensitive Approach Is Required
Soha Moitra, Regional Director, CRY said a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained effort is needed, including strengthening prevention mechanisms for adolescent girls, ensuring better tracking of long-term missing cases, and improving coordination between the police and child protection systems.
"The impact on girls is disproportionately greater, so adopting a robust and gender-sensitive approach is crucial. It will not be enough to strengthen child tracing systems, but also to address the reasons that lead to children going missing," she added.
(With Naidunia Inputs)