Cases of disappearing girls increasing in State

Two hundred and seventy girls went missing in the State over three years - from 2008 to 2010, and the number shot up alarmingly in the third year.

According to information made available by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 99 girls were reported missing in 2008. The figure dipped to 41 the next year, but jumped to 130 in 2010. Data for 2011 and the current year is under compilation.

Over the three years, 79 boys too disappeared

The MHA has acknowledged that organised gangs may have become victims of trafficking gangs, for being pushed into illegal activities including bonded labour.
In an advisory to the Karnataka government on January 31, 2012, the MHA suggested steps to protect children from such gangs and to trace them.

The suggestions to facilitate the tracing of missing children included computerisation of records, DNA profiling, involvement of NGOs and other organisations, community awareness programmes etc.

According to the information made available by MHA, in Karnataka, 14 boys and 99 girls were victims of kidnapping or abduction in 2008, while the number stood at 38 and 41 in 2009, and 27 and 130 in 2010. The figures for 2011 and 2012 are being compiled.

In 2008, different agencies registered 99 cases, but there was a lone conviction. In 2009, 67 cases were registered, but there was no conviction. In 2010, 125 cases were registered, with six persons convicted.

According to information provided by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of disappearing children is increasing by the year. Over 2008-10, as many as 28,595 children disappeared all over the country. While 7,862 were reported missing in 2008, the figure shot up to 9,436 the next year and rose to 11,297 in 2010.

A total of 27,265  cases were booked, but only 4,262 persons were convicted.
In a further advisory on April 30, 2012, the MHA issued guidelines to law enforcement agencies on the manner and modalities regarding effectively dealing with the organised crime aspect of human trafficking.

It advised that the crime prone areas be identified and a mechanism instituted to ensure the safety and security of students, especially girls.

State governments have been advised to increase the number of beat constables; the number of police help booths/kiosks, especially in remote and lonely stretches and the number of policemen patrolling, especially during nights.  

They have also been advised to post police officers especially women, fully equipped with policing infrastructure in crime-prone areas in adequate number was also among the many things advised.

Although the figures for Karnataka are disturbing, the trend in the neighbouring is worse. In Tamil Nadu, in the same period 1,035 girls went missing, while in Andhra Pradesh, the figures were even more scary - 1,471.

Number of children abducted

STATE                        2008     2009    2010

Karnataka               14, 99*    38, 41*    27, 130*
Andhra Pradesh     43, 390*     83, 549*    49, 532*
Tamil Nadu              15, 266*     18, 284*    14, 485*
Kerala                      13, 74*     10, 77*    17, 103*
* Read as boys, girls

Convictions

YEAR    CASES    CONVICTIONS

2008    99    1
2009    67    0
2010     125    6

Cases and convictions in Karnataka