Mumbai: Maharashtra recorded the highest number of crimes against children in 2024, with girls continuing to constitute a disproportionately large share of missing children cases, according to an analysis of the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data by Child Rights and You (CRY), an NGO.
State-wise Crime Statistics
In 2024, Maharashtra registered 24,171 cases of crimes against children, followed by Uttar Pradesh (22,222) and Madhya Pradesh (21,908). The state also recorded a crime rate of 66.9 per lakh children, while Madhya Pradesh led the list with 76.2. Nationally, nearly 1.9 lakh cases were logged, averaging over 514 cases a day, a sharp rise from 89,423 in 2014.
Kidnapping and Missing Children
As per the report, Maharashtra also topped in kidnapping and related crimes against children under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Indian Penal Code, with 12,994 cases. The findings further showed that Maharashtra reported 3,495 missing children cases in 2024, while the total active missing children pool stood at 5,540, including unresolved cases from previous years. At 2,057, girls accounted for a larger share of the state's missing children.
Despite the large number of cases, Maharashtra recorded significant tracing and recovery efforts during the year, with the overall recovery rate at 67.5%. At the national level, the number of missing children rose to nearly 1.5 lakh in 2024 from around 1.4 lakh the previous year, marking a 6.2% increase. Girls accounted for 76% of all missing children nationally, while the 16-18 age group formed the largest affected demographic.
Gender Disparity in Missing Children
Girls accounted for a larger share of missing children in the state. Of the children reported missing during 2024, 2,057 were girls and 1,438 were boys. The broader active pool included 3,165 girls, 2,372 boys, and three transgender children. Despite the large number of cases, Maharashtra recorded significant tracing and recovery efforts during the year. A total of 3,737 children were traced or recovered in 2024, including 2,123 girls, 1,611 boys, and three transgender children. The overall recovery rate stood at 67.5%. However, 1,803 children remained untraced at the end of the year, including 1,042 girls and 761 boys.
National Trends
At the national level, NCRB data showed that 1,87,702 cases of crimes against children were recorded in 2024, averaging more than 514 crimes every day. The data also revealed a sharp rise over the past decade, with cases increasing from 89,423 in 2014 to 1,87,702 in 2024. The number of missing children across India rose from 1,38,609 in 2023 to 1,47,175 in 2024, marking an increase of 6.2%. Girls accounted for 75.6% of all missing children nationally, while children aged between 16 and 18 years formed the largest affected age group.
“It is time to strengthen monitoring and legal systems to better protect children, especially girls,” said Kreeanne Rabadi, regional director of CRY-West. She stressed the need for coordinated efforts between the government and civil society organisations to improve child protection mechanisms and ensure timely tracing and recovery of missing children.
