Officials from the Mumbai police confirmed on Saturday that the department achieved a remarkable success rate of 99 percent in locating missing children during the year 2025. Out of 2,182 reported cases of missing minors, police successfully traced 2,165 children and facilitated their reunion with families. This high recovery rate reflects the effectiveness of the police’s focused efforts in addressing this critical issue.

Ongoing Efforts in 2026

In the current year, Mumbai police have categorized cases of missing minors into five distinct age groups: 0-5 years, 5-10 years, 10-14 years, 14-16 years, and 16-18 years, to enhance investigative processes. So far in 2026, the police have recorded seven incidents involving children aged five years and younger. Impressively, all of these cases have also been resolved with the safe recovery of the affected children.

Gender Distribution of Missing Cases

Data from 2025 reveals that approximately 55 percent of the missing persons were boys, while the remaining cases involved girls. In the ongoing year, Mumbai police have already noted 178 reports of missing minors. To date, officials have successfully traced 161 of these children, accounting for about 90 percent of the cases. However, 17 minors are still unaccounted for, including eight boys and nine girls, all falling within the 16-18 years age bracket.

Dedicated Teams Deployed for Tracing Minors

In response to the remaining cases, special teams have been strategically deployed across various parts of the city to expedite the efforts in locating the outstanding missing minors. A senior official indicated that three to four dedicated teams are actively engaged in the search operation, emphasizing the department’s commitment to safely reuniting these children with their families.

Repeated Challenges in Case of Individual Minors

An illustrative case highlighted by officials involved a child who had repeatedly run away and had to be brought home on three to four occasions. Each time, the police ensured compliance with procedural requirements, registering a case for each incident while focusing on the child’s safety. Such repeated cases underline the complexities involved in managing missing children effectively.

Addressing Misinformation Concerns

This month, Mumbai police also raised concerns about certain social media platforms that were allegedly misrepresenting data related to missing and kidnapped children, contributing to misinformation and rumors. The police have urged the public to rely on official channels for accurate information to combat the spread of false narratives surrounding such sensitive topics.

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