The National Human Rights Commission has sought information from the Andhra Pradesh police about the number of children who went missing between 2022-2025, the policies followed to trace them and steps proposed to be taken by the police for tracing girls who have not yet been rescued.

The order was passed on a plea by Y Balachander Reddy who had pointed to a news report dated 24.01.2024 stating that over 3000 girls went missing in Andhra Pradesh and that only very few were traced. As per the report, more than 8 girls go missing every day, and 1 out of them remains untraced

The news report also mentioned that, 474 missing and untraced girls were reported from previous years, contributing to a total of 3,592 reported missing girls in the State. Of them, 3,221 girls were recovered or traced. However, 371 girls remained unrecovered or untraced.

The Commission had on 06.03.2024 issued notices to the Chief Secretary and DGP, Andhra Pradesh calling upon them to submit their response.

As per a report submitted by the State's Chief Secretary dated 07.01.2025, 61 children were missing in 2022, 74 children went missing in 2023 and 223 children who went missing in 2024 could not be traced. The commission however noted that the report was silent about the steps taken for tracing the remaining.

Transmitting the file to NHRC's Investigation Division, the commission directed its DG(I) to convene a Video Conference with the Directior General of Police along with an officer from Anti Human Trafficking Unit, if there is one in the State to find out:

(i) how many children went missing during 2022 to 2025?

(ii) how many children were traced?

(iii) what happened to the children who were traced?

(iv) whether the rescued children were rehabilitated with the family and kept in home, rehabilitated or not?

(v) the standard protocol which the police is following for tracing the remaining victims and

(vi) the steps proposed to be taken by the police for tracing the girls who are not yet rescued.

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