Ludhiana, the industrial heart of Punjab, is grappling with a surge in missing children cases, as authorities launch 14 separate police inquiries in just over a week. The city is currently searching for three new missing children: a 13-year-old boy and two teenage girls, aged 13 and 16. These disappearances have sparked community anxiety, with many residents theorizing about a gang of child lifters, though police have urged caution.
Latest Cases Under Investigation
The most recent cases involve a young boy who disappeared after promising to return in five minutes, and two girls who were allegedly lured away under the pretense of marriage. Local authorities have filed kidnapping and child procurement charges against two men suspected of involvement in the girls' disappearances.
The 16-Year-Old Girl
The teenager vanished from her home on June 3. Her father, a local laborer, later discovered that a neighboring resident had also disappeared. Investigating Officer Assistant Sub-Inspector Makhan Singh confirmed that the suspect and his brother-in-law have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for kidnapping and child procurement. The missing pair recently posted a video online showing themselves traveling by train toward Uttar Pradesh.
The 13-Year-Old Girl
A factory worker has been charged with kidnapping after a 13-year-old girl failed to return from a local shop on May 31. The girl's father stated he had previously moved his family to a new neighborhood to separate his daughter from the suspect, unaware the two had remained in contact.
The 13-Year-Old Boy
In a separate incident in Majra village, a seventh-grade boy disappeared on June 24 after telling his sister he would return in five minutes. His father fears the boy is being held against his will, noting that his son was excited about an upcoming family wedding in Uttar Pradesh. Police have registered a case of wrongful confinement against unidentified suspects.
A Rising Trend of Disappearances
The disappearances are part of a broader, troubling pattern in the industrial hub. From May 28 to June 4, Ludhiana police registered multiple first-information reports regarding 13 missing girls, 11 of whom are minors. In total, the city has reported 16 children missing in the current wave. Authorities confirm that four of the girls have since been recovered safely, and investigations into the remaining cases are ongoing.
Despite growing community anxiety over the statistics, which show 15 girls and one boy reported missing between late May and early June, Ludhiana's police commissioner, Swapan Sharma, downplayed fears of a criminal syndicate. 'Preliminary inquiries indicate that these girls left their homes voluntarily due to various personal or family reasons,' Sharma said. 'At present, there is no evidence suggesting any organized kidnapping racket or criminal conspiracy.'
