The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the persistent issue of children going missing across India and asked the Centre to examine whether there is a systematic nationwide network or state-specific syndicate behind such disappearances. The Court emphasised the need for concrete data from all states and warned of strict action against non-compliant governments.
The case stems from a Public Interest Litigation filed by the NGO Guria Swayam Sevi Sansthan, which raised alarm over the rising number of untraced children across India. The petition drew attention to multiple instances of child trafficking and kidnapping, particularly pointing to five cases in Uttar Pradesh where minors were allegedly trafficked through a middlemen network to states such as Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
In response, the apex court had earlier directed the Centre and states to take coordinated action, including uploading data of missing and found children to the government-run portal managed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. On December 9, the Court had also asked the Union Government to submit data from the past six years and appoint a dedicated officer within the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate with states and Union Territories.
During Tuesday’s hearing, a bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan posed critical questions to the Centre:
“We want to know whether there is a nationwide network or state-specific group behind these incidents where children go missing. Is it a pattern or just a random incident?”
The Court directed the Central government to compile data from all states and ascertain if there exists a discernible pattern.
The bench also suggested that rescued children be interviewed to identify those responsible for their disappearance and possible trafficking.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Union government, informed the bench that while several states have submitted their data on missing children and related prosecutions, nearly a dozen states were yet to respond. She submitted that a proper analysis could only be done after complete data is received from all states.
The bench expressed displeasure with the non-cooperative stance of certain state governments and hinted at taking a tougher stance if the data is not furnished promptly:
“We may pass harsh orders if needed.”
Senior advocate Aparna Bhatt, also present, supported the Centre’s initiative and suggested that binding directions be issued to all states to comply with the data request.
- November 18, 2025: The bench expressed deep concern over a media report stating that a child goes missing in India every eight minutes and stressed the need to streamline the adoption process.
- The Court highlighted the lack of coordination among police departments across states in handling missing children cases.
- It proposed the creation of a dedicated online portal under the Ministry of Home Affairs, with designated officers from each state tasked with managing missing child complaints and facilitating information sharing.
