Cops' operation 'Shodh' for tracing 1,300 missing persons in 29 days

Nagpur: City police have launched a 29-day mission, named ‘Operation Shodh', to track down around 1,300 adults, including 500 women, who are untraceable for more than one year. Around 26 minors are also among those whose whereabouts remain unknown.

In the past, several missing persons, especially women, were found either murdered or trafficked to other states for forced marriage or prostitution. Sources said that a substantial number of missing minors and adults also fall prey to begging syndicates.

Under CP Ravinder Singal, 33 police stations, along with the crime branch's Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), and other units would focus on the search for the missing persons.

Senior inspector of AHTU, Lalita Todase, said the lists of all the missing persons are being prepared and would be dispatched to the local police stations. The officials of the rank of assistant CPs would guide the operation, she said. Zonal DCPs and DCP (crime) Rahul Maknikar would review the progress of Operation Shodh.

Todase also said that there could be cases in which the missing person may have already returned to their families, who might not have informed the cops about the same. Sources said that every police station has formed dedicated squads, including women officers, to re-open the pending missing cases and work on them as part of the 29-day operation from April 17 and May 15.

"The officers would meet the families and friends of the missing persons and try to find out new updates and clues," said an official, adding that reuniting the missing persons with their families after years restores faith in the police machinery.