Missing children's data lacks accuracy: NHRC

Missing children's data lacks accuracy: NHRC 18 Jan 2009, 1051 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data on missing children "lack accuracy" despite it being the national repository of crime data, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said in its latest report. "NCRB data on missing children lacks accuracy. Despite being the national repository of 'crime data', the bureau lacks information about the children, both, who are traced and those who remain untraced," the NHRC said. In any given year, an average of 44,000 children are reported missing. Of them, as many as 11,000 remain untraced, according to the commission. Although reports about missing children are communicated to the NCRB, it is not generally apprised with the information later when a child is rescued, traced or returned, the NCRB observed. "Police stations concerned generally do not give any feedback to the NCRB when the missing child is rescued, traced or returned," the commission noted. Also, parents and relatives of the missing child fail to inform the police about any new development. "This in a way complicates the problem," NHRC said. Apart from the NCRB, the commission said, there are some regional police websites like the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET) and a few state police websites, which provide data on missing persons including children. But, the information provided therein remains "largely incomplete," it said. "Since awareness about these databases, particularly, among police personnel, is low, it has not drawn adequate attention in the investigation and tracing of missing children, the commission added.

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