The Gujarat state government announced on Wednesday that the state police have successfully traced and reunited 1,470 missing persons with their families under 'Operation Milap'. The campaign, which began on May 7, involved reopening long-standing unresolved cases and leveraging technical inputs and intelligence.
Breakdown of traced individuals
According to the government, among the 1,470 traced individuals, 852 were women, 342 were men, 42 were minor boys, and 234 were minor girls. Surat city police achieved the highest number of reunifications, tracing 341 persons within one month.
Campaign methodology
The operation was based on a detailed review of old case records, fresh field verification, and analysis of digital records, social media activity, public transport hubs, and shelter homes. Police teams also reconnected with complainants and witnesses to generate new leads. The campaign concluded but efforts will continue, as stated by DGP G S Malik: 'Although the special drive to trace missing persons has concluded, our efforts will continue. Police officers have been instructed to continue working on missing-person cases alongside their regular duties.'
Historical context
According to police records, a total of 24,767 people have been reported missing in Gujarat since 2007. The special drive aimed to address these unresolved cases and bring closure to families.
