In the last five years, kidnapping cases of girls and women have increased, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra Assembly monsoon session in Nagpur.
The CM revealed that kidnapping and missing cases of girls below the age of 18 and above the age of 18 were rampant in the last five years. In total, 5056 girls below the age of 18 went missing or were kidnapped while 21,652 girls above the age of 18 went missing or kidnapped in the last five years.
Reasons for kidnapping
The girls and women who are kidnapped are mostly forced into begging. Between 2013 and 2017, three cases were filed against the accused of making women beg. Along with this, 11 cases were filed for misusing abducted girls.
In 2013, 92 girls below the age of 18 were kidnapped. The same number went up in 2014 where 1500 girls were kidnapped. In 2017, a total number of 1368 girls were kidnapped. However, out of 5056 girls, 4758 were found and 370 girls are still missing.
Statistics of missing and kidnapped girls within the area of Bruhanmumbai Police Commissionerate
| Below 18 year (Girls) | Above 18 years (Women) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Missing | Found | Missing | Found |
| 2013 | 92 | 79 | 4041 | 3823 |
| 2014 | 1500 | 1475 | 4170 | 3943 |
| 2015 | 927 | 787 | 4315 | 4039 |
| 2016 | 1169 | 1091 | 4527 | 4096 |
| 2017 | 1368 | 1235 | 4599 | 3785 |
| Total | 5056 | 4758 | 21652 | 19686 |