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Chouhan emphasises police action in recovery of missing girls, women
The DGP stated eloping with boyfriends as one of the reasons behind the disappearance of girls and women in urban areas.
Instructing the police to act to recover girls and women who have been reported missing in the state, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the number of missing girls is double when compared to missing boys. He said it was a clear indication that the disappearance of girls was not normal, as per an official release.
CM’s observation and instructions came during a high-level meeting with home minister Narottam Mishra, chief secretary Iqbal Singh Bains and director general of police (DGP) Vivek Johri in connection with girls and women reported missing from the state, as per the release.
Chouhan said, “Police should increase the number of recoveries of girls… Serious action needs to be taken in the case of the missing girls. Disappearance of girls is a matter of concern.”
The CM said recovering lost girls should be a priority. "Such a system should be made that a complete record of the girls going out of the district for work, employment etc., is maintained so that they could file a complaint. There should be such a system that registration should be mandatory for those who go out of the district for work. Only then this could be stopped," he said.
Chouhan suggested merging of different types of helplines. At present, the Umang app and helpline 1090 are operating in the state. The helpline number of the Government of India is 1098.
He, however, congratulated the police on the decline in the number of crimes against women in the last few months. Crimes against women have reduced by half in the last eight months, he said.
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DGP Vivek Johri said, ”The main reasons behind the disappearance of girls and women in urban areas include their leaving house without informing anyone or getting angry and running away or eloping with boyfriends. In rural areas, people migrate in search for employment. In such cases, action by the Labour Department becomes necessary. A record should be maintained of where and what work the contractor is taking from them.”
Reacting to the CM's and the DGP’s statements, state Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta said, “By talking of boyfriends, the state government is trying to trivialise a serious issue like crimes against girls and women. It is trying to cover-up its inefficiency in taking action against organised gangs which target girls and women across the state. The fact remains that a good number of girls and women are trafficked from tribal areas by these organised gangs but the government and its police force continue to remain oblivious of the ground reality.”
