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840 women reported missing from Pune in 2022
About 396 out of the total 840 women who went missing in Pune in the first seven months of 2022 were found, according to information shared by the Pune city police
About 396 out of the total 840 women who went missing in Pune in the first seven months of 2022 were found, according to information shared by the Pune city police. June recorded the highest number of missing women (186) followed by May (135). As far as the Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate is concerned, 885 women went missing whereas Pune rural police recorded 743 missing women cases in the same period.
Most of these women leave home because of family discord, relationships or employment opportunities, and many return after realising their mistake, according to the police. A majority of women in the 16 to 25 years’ age group leave home because of affairs, domestic tiffs or fights at home with parents, the police said. These missing women may also include those who are mentally disturbed or living on the streets. Social workers stress however that these missing cases cannot be delinked from human trafficking.
Police inspector Anna Mane from the social security cell of the Pune police said that there is no specific reason behind it. He said that this is the collective number of women missing and that there are many reasons such as family disputes, relationships, and also being lured by boyfriends under the pretext of marriage. Mane said that none of the links are ignored and they try to rescue each and every girl. The police also said that there are some women who want to lead an independent life and escape from their orthodox homes. There are only a few cases where women are kidnapped, according to the police.
Women and child activist Yamini Adabe said that though there are a number of reasons behind women going missing, the human trafficking angle cannot be ignored. In cases where women have gone missing due to love affairs or family disputes, they are still in contact with some family member or friend. But an increasing number of untraceable women is worrisome for all, Adabe said.
Shiv Sena leader and deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Neelam Gorhe, said that she has been following this matter since the last two years. Gorhe had called a meeting with former home minister Dilip Walse Patil regarding the same. “There is a reduction in the number of rape cases but at the same time due to domestic violence, cases of missing women have increased over a period of time. However, the police are working tirelessly to search for these missing women,” she said.
Gorhe further said that the police have initiated search of these women under the ‘Muskan scheme’ and are trying to explore all angles behind the missing cases. After the women are rescued, the police should also start counselling them, she said. ‘’On Tuesday itself, we held a meeting with our ‘Stree Adhar Kendra’ and decided to launch an awareness campaign about missing women. Under this campaign, women will get all the technical know-how,” said Gorhe.
Gorhe further suggested that the police should hold a photo exhibition of unidentified women who have died. So that their parents can come to know about their death. Regarding the same, a discussion is underway with Manoj Lohia, special inspector general of police (Kolhapur range) and Lohia is positive about the same, she said.
