Drive to track down missing children in Bangalore begins in November

The statistics are frightening. Every year, about 4,800 children go missing from Bangalore.

Experts say most of them are victims of trafficking and fear that they are either working as child sex workers or labourers in various parts of the country.

In an attempt to bring the missing children back and reunite them with their parents, Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL), a voluntary organisation, will start a campaign — ‘Bring back our missing children’ — from the first week of November.

“We will create awareness among various stakeholders, including parents, guardians, teachers and police to save children from becoming victims of trafficking,” said Nagasimha G Rao, a member of CACL.

As part of the project, a massive awareness campaign will be carried out across the city.

“Awareness is the need of the hour. The kith and kin of the missing child should immediately inform the police through a First Information Report (FIR). The police, too should take the matter seriously,” said Rao.

The campaign will see activists visit various areas of Bangalore, including schools, residential areas, and slums to create awareness on the power of an FIR.

According to a survey by CACL, conducted in 2009, 4,800 children from Bangalore went missing in 2008.

“The figures are based on reports lodged in about 100 police stations across Bangalore. These are only the cases that have been brought to our notice. The actual number of such cases will be much larger,” said Rao.

According to City Crime Records Bureau (CCRB), in Bangalore, the number of missing cases was 1,943 in 2009 and 979 till August 2010. Among the children missing in 2009, 863 were not traced, while 372 missing in 2010 are yet to be traced.  Child rights activists say that the Missing Person Bureau in Bangalore has a poor record.

Maria Theresa Sindu, city coordinator, Child Rights Trust, said because of its location, Bangalore has become the destination, source and transit point of missing children.

The CCRB said it releases a list of complaints to non-governmental organisations, public offices and the media every week, but gets a poor response.

“The distribution and circulation of the books has not been taken seriously by these organisations which had resulted in less than 10 children being traced,” an official said.

The CCRB said the social welfare department should also work to prevent minors from walking out of their homes.

An official told DNA that many a times local people cause problems when the traced children are taken into custody. He said there were many NGOs supporting the police in finding the missing children.

Joint commissioner of police (crime) Alok Kumar said the public should also cooperate with the police to find the missing children.