Patna, February 25 Of the 14,699 children reported missing in Bihar last year, 7,772 have been located, while efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining ones, officials said.
The state police announced these figures after multiple instances of misleading information related to alleged child-abduction incidents surfaced on social media.
According to a statement issued by the police, "A total of 14,699 children were reported missing in Bihar in 2023. Of these, 7,772 have been traced, and efforts are ongoing to find the remaining 6,927 children.
"District officials have been directed to conduct a thorough review of pending cases, as some children may have already returned, but records may not have been updated at the district level."
The Crime Investigation Department and the Weaker Sections Division of the Bihar Police Headquarters have directed all Regional Inspectors General, Deputy Inspectors General, Senior Superintendents of Police and Superintendents of Police to promptly verify rumors about child-abduction and take necessary action.
The police also urged the public to stay away from rumors and assist the police in maintaining law-and-order.
"People should immediately inform the nearest police station or call Dial 112 if they come across any suspicious information on this front. The public must not take the law into their own hands and should cooperate with the police," the statement read.
According to officials, Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPUs) have been set up in all districts and are monitored by a state-level SJPU cell.
Additionally, Child Welfare Police Officers have been appointed in every police station, who conduct investigations in accordance with SOPs issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
In view of trafficking concerns, 44 Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) have been constituted across districts. AHTUs are also operational at the state’s three major airports in Patna, Gaya and Darbhanga, while a unit has been proposed for Purnea airport, the statement read.