The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), an Indian governmental agency, recently published a study on the issue of missing persons, with a particular focus on women and children. Originating from a 2019 directive by the Supreme Court of India, the research aims to highlight key areas across the country that are hotspots for child and women trafficking. The data draws attention to alarming trends and patterns, suggesting several regions could be sources, transit points or destinations for such illicit activities.
Understanding the Data
The report bases its findings on data derived from NCRB’s annual ‘Crime in India’ report encompassing the years 2016 to 2018. This report offers a vast array of crime statistics across India, which serve as a valuable tool in understanding the law and order situation in the country.
Global Context of Missing Persons and Trafficking
To provide a global perspective, the report refers to the ‘Global Report 2018 on Trafficking in Persons’ by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). According to this international report, the majority of trafficking victims detected for sexual exploitation are female. Furthermore, more than fifty percent of forced labour trafficking victims are male while thirty-five percent are female. Various issues like mental illness, miscommunication, misadventure, domestic violence, and criminal victimization are cited as reasons for persons going missing.
National Scenario: Women
On a national level, the NCRB report records Maharashtra as holding the highest number of missing women cases, followed closely by West Bengal. These states, along with Madhya Pradesh, are identified as the most vulnerable. Cities with the highest number of incidents include Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra, Kolkata in West Bengal, and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
National Scenario: Children
When it comes to missing children, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi and Bihar show the highest numbers. Notably, Indore tops the list of cities with the highest number of missing children reports. A significant surge in missing children incidents was also observed in West Bengal’s Nadia district, situated on the Bangladesh border, where cases rose from 291 in 2017 to 474 in 2018.
About the National Crime Record Bureau
The NCRB was established in 1986 under the supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs, following recommendations from the National Police Commission and the MHA’s Task Force. The NCRB serves as a comprehensive repository of information regarding crime and criminals, aiding investigators by linking crimes to the culprits. Since its inception, it has published the annual ‘Crime in India’ report, presenting exhaustive crime statistics across the country.
