Missing kids: SC asks states, UTs to file compliance reports

The Supreme Court today asked all states and Union Territories to file additional affidavits in compliance of its earlier directions including mandatory registration of FIRs in the case of missing kids.
A bench of justices H L Taut, S A Bobde and Abhay Manohar Sapre sought additional affidavits from the states and UTs after an NGO alleged that the earlier replies have been incomplete as crucial information like the total number of missing children has not been provided by many states.
Earlier, the court had passed a slew of directions on the PIL filed by Bachapan Bachao Andolan alleging that for over 1.7 lakh children have gone missing in the country between January 2008-2010, many of whom were kidnapped for trafficking in flesh trade and child labour.

The court had directed that an FIR should be registered as soon as an information regarding missing of a child is received by police.
Further, a photo of the child be uploaded on the 'Child Track website', it had said, adding that there should be a Juvenile Welfare Officer in every police station in the country.
Senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for the NGO, today said that the states have not complied with the directions of this court.

"Only yesterday it has appeared in the newspapers that about 5000 children were trafficked from Jharkhand, but in the affidavit filed by the government of Jharkhand no figure has been mentioned," it said.

Over one lakh kids go missing every year in the country and about one-third that is 30,000 remain untraced, Phoolka said.
The matter will now come up for hearing on September 24.
Earlier, the court had directed the states and Union Territories administration to file their compliance reports.
The apex court had directed that a special officer be appointed in every police station across the country to deal with juveniles in view of growing number of minors getting involved in various offences.