HC seeks information regarding missing children in UP

Allahabad, Jan 3 (UNI) Against a backdrop of the Nithari killings in Noida, Allahabad High Court today directed the Uttar Pradesh principal secretary (home) and DGP to spell out measures taken regarding missing children in the state.

A Bench comprising Justices Amar Saran and R N Mishra directed the station officers of various police stations to forthwith register reports of missing or abducted children or girls, and not to turn away the informants on flimsy grounds.

''They must start probes in the matter in earnest.'' The DGP has been directed to furnish information to the HC about the registration of cases in different police stations on the number of children, presently missing.

The HC observed the information be categorised for the cases of children up to five yrs, 5-10 yrs and 10-18 yrs.

The court will hear the case on February 6.

The aid of radio, TV and print media may be taken for publicising information of missing children and contact numbers of the police and the informant.

In case of failure of local police to take action or to register an FIR, the aggrieved persons should have easy access to the SSP/SP or COs, who should see that serious action is taken on such a complaint.

Notice boards should be put up and PROs posted at the SSP/SP/COs' offices and in big police stations for noting down complaints, directed the bench.

The district judges of all the districts may issue directions to the legal aid committees to ensure that lawyers providing legal aid are present at SSP/SP/COs' offices to help such resourceless people.

Special cells must be constituted in each district to pool the information of cases of abductions/missing children, where information of all such children may be collected.

The information may pertain to particulars of the abductee's age, sex, date of abduction, steps taken for locating the missing child and action taken against the kidnappers.

The HC passed this order on a writ petition of V D Sharma of Agra. A 17-year-old son of the petitioner is also missing.

UNI