A wave of anxiety regarding child kidnappings has swept through Mumbai, fueled by viral social media messages and incomplete data interpretation. The Mumbai Police have stepped in to clarify the situation, attributing much of the public panic to a specific Supreme Court directive and highlighting their high success rate in reuniting missing children with their families.
The Spark: A Tweet and Viral Data
The series of events began on December 13, when MNS chief Raj Thackeray tweeted to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He cited National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data indicating a 30 per cent rise in missing children's cases over the past three years. This issue was subsequently discussed in the state Assembly, and the circulation of news stories based on this data triggered widespread concern among parents.
WhatsApp groups of housing societies and parent networks buzzed with warnings, and some buildings even put up posters in lifts urging vigilance. The police, however, emphasize that they treat every missing child report with utmost seriousness.
Police Clarification and the Supreme Court Factor
In response, the Mumbai Police took to their official X handle on December 14 to provide crucial context. They stated that 98 per cent of children reported missing in the last five years have been reunited with their parents, and 2025 was consistent with this trend.
A key point of clarification revolved around a Supreme Court judgement. The police explained that as per the Bachpan Bachao Andolan vs Union of India ruling from 2013, all missing cases involving minors must be registered as kidnapping cases. An officer noted that while this directive ensures no case is treated lightly, it has inadvertently created a misleading statistical picture.
"Anyone looking at the data would think thousands of children are being kidnapped every month, which is not the case," a police official said. "Kidnapping cases are ones where usually the family receives a ransom call. However, the majority of these cases relate to children running away with friends... and coming back."
Breaking Down the Numbers and the Real Scenario
According to Mumbai Police data, from January to November 2025, a total of 2,177 missing/kidnapping cases involving minors were registered. Out of these, police claimed to have rescued 1,974 children. The data shows a year-on-year increase in such reports concerning teenagers.
- 2022: 1,927 cases, 1,896 rescues.
- 2023: 1,982 cases, 1,930 rescues.
- 2024: 2,113 cases, 2,055 rescues.
Police maintain a detection ratio of over 96 per cent. An officer pointed out that while the number of registered "kidnapping" cases is highlighted, the accompanying fact that over 95 per cent of these children return home is often omitted, leading to unnecessary alarm.
Officials explain that a significant portion of those reported missing are minors between 14 and 17 years who leave home with friends or due to relationships and typically return within a day or two. The police challenge lies in swiftly identifying the rare cases of genuine abduction, like the recent successful rescue of a four-year-old girl from Varanasi six months after she went missing from CSMT station.
Authorities advise parents and schools to monitor children's changing behaviour and social media activities. They also caution against a tendency to sometimes treat missing reports casually, expecting the child to return alone. The police reiterate their commitment to investigating every case thoroughly to ensure public safety and combat genuine threats.
