Capital is second in case of missing children

The report of Institute of Social Sciences says that Delhi comes after Kolkata, as far as the maximum number of missing children in the country are concerned.

The national capital has earned the dubious distinction of having the second highest number of missing children in the country, according to a new report.

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Delhi comes after Kolkata, as far as the maximum number of missing children in the country are concerned.

An alarming point is that a majority of children are girls between 12-19 years of age and they come from the marginalised communities (80 per cent) living in slum areas, according to the report by Institute of Social Sciences (ISS).

The grim fact is corroborated by the 2005 National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) report which states that every year 7,058 children are reported to be missing in Delhi, which accounts for 6.7 per cent of the country's missing children.

Police records show a rise of 456 more missing cases in 2006 from the earlier 2004 record of 6,227 cases.

What is of more concern is that people doubt the police system. "More missing cases are recorded with the Child Helpline as compared to the police," according to retired cop Kiran Bedi.

Civil Society Organisation (CSO) records also mention that mere 10 per cent of the missing cases are registered with the police.

Children rescued in such cases talk of the organised kidnapping behind these missing incidents. Well organised gangs having nationwide connections and sometimes, global, "sold" girls to prospective buyers.

Most of these children belong to the marginalised communities living in the slum and resettlement colonies like Sangam Vihar, Nangloi, Sultanpuri, Prem Nagar, Holambi Colony, Seemapuri, Kapesheda, Rangpuri Pahadi.