Mumbai, Nov 21 (PTI) As many as 2264 women are reported missing in Maharashtra in the last five years, the state Legislative Assembly has been told.
In a written reply, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds Home portfolio, said the missing women include 298 minor girls.
A question was submitted by ruling Bhartiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Mangal Prabhat Lodha and others.
The CM said the number of missing women looks increased because, as per a Supreme Court directive, a kidnapping case has to be registered in case of the minor children having gone missing.
Since 2013, 5056 women below 18 years were reported missing/kidnapped. Out of this, 4758 women were found, he said.
A total of 21652 women above 18 years were reported missing during the same period, the CM said, adding that 19,686 of them were found.
Fadnavis stated that a Standard Operating Practice (SOP) has been prepared to look for the missing persons.
"As per a supreme court directive, a case of kidnapping is registered if minor children are found missing," he stated.
The CM stated trackthemissingchild.gov.in, mumbaipolice.gov.in, shodh.gov.in are the websites used to track missing children.
"As per the NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) and Maharashtra Crime 2016 report, ten cases of human trafficking were registered in which were are 53 victims.
"Similarly, 8518 cases of atrocities against children were registered out of which the number of victims were 8908," it stated.
In 2016, Maharashtra stood 12th in the country as far as number of cases of kidnapping registered against women are concerned.
