Replying to a starred question Chief Minister Pramod Sawant reportedly informed the members in the Goa Legislative Assembly that during the last three-and-half years, as many as 829 women and children were reported missing in the state of which 695 were traced while 134 were still missing. The number of women and children who went missing in a small state like Goa is quite disturbing. Be that as it may, it is learnt that as per National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) around 13.13 lakh girls and women reportedly went missing across the country between 2019 and 2021 with Madhya Pradesh accounting for the highest at nearly two lakhs, closely followed by West Bengal.These are shocking figures indeed. The police reportedly used public announcements, social media and the help of volunteers to trace the missing people and reunite them with their families. The reason for the large number of missing women needs to be investigated. According to NCRB some young people run away from home due to unbearable conditions of abuse and maltreatment. They become vulnerable to trafficking, violence, drug addiction, prostitution and other risks of exploitation and involvement in crime.
