Exclusive stations at 7 districts to probe cases, track missing kids
These exclusive stations are likely to come up in Coimbatore and Madurai cities, and Tiruvallur, Vellore, Thanjavur, Erode, and Dindigul districts.
The investigators even suspect that the network could be involved in organ trafficking. (Illustration)
CHENNAI: Amid frequent incidents of child missing and lifting cases, including the recent case of a gynaecologist being involved in the selling of a newborn at a government hospital in Tiruchengode, the Tamil Nadu government is planning to strengthen anti-child trafficking units (ACTU) by setting up exclusive police stations in seven districts.
In the most recent case, a gynaecologist and her associate in Tiruchengode were arrested earlier this week for selling a newborn. Detailed investigation by the police revealed that the doctor and her associates were allegedly involved in eight such cases. The investigators even suspect that the network could be involved in organ trafficking.
In this backdrop, the proposal to establish police stations to exclusively handle child missing and trafficking cases has gained importance. Till now, the unit did not have the authority to file cases and investigate the missing children and trafficking cases.
According to sources, the government is planning ACTU police stations in seven districts to step up the monitoring mechanism and empower the unit to carry out investigations to crack down on child trafficking.
“A proposal has been forwarded to the government for its approval to establish the police stations for the Anti-Child Trafficking Unit. It will empower the ACTU to investigate cases of trafficking and keep track of the cases till they reach the logical conclusion,” said a senior police officer.
These exclusive stations are likely to come up in Coimbatore and Madurai cities, and Tiruvallur, Vellore, Thanjavur, Erode, and Dindigul districts.
The official added the government was “positive” towards the proposal, as it is necessary to conduct in-depth and sustained investigations to unearth the network that has its tentacles spread across the world. “Once the unit gets exclusive stations, they will concentrate on child missing and trafficking cases,” said another senior officer.
According to government data, as many as 43,726 children aged 0-5 years went missing between 2013 and 2022, of whom 1,544 children are yet to be traced.
This year till April, 2,529 children went missing, of whom 1,783 were traced and returned to their families. However, 736 children are yet to be traced. This takes the total number of missing children to 2,280.
