Delhi Sees Shocking Child Trafficking Cases, Missing Minors Forced Into Labor

New Delhi: Every year, several children go missing in India, and some are lucky enough to reunite with their families. However, a startling report by the child rights organization Just Rights for Children (JRC) reveals that many children are trafficked into Delhi from other states and exploited for labor.

Minors Brought to Delhi from Other States
According to Ravi Kant, National Coordinator of JRC, between April 1, 2023, and January 29, 2026, 6,759 minors were rescued from trafficking in Delhi, including 2,134 girls and 3,281 boys. During this period, 2,407 human trafficking cases were registered in the capital. Most of the trafficked children were brought from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.

Organized Gangs Active Nationwide
JRC’s network of over 250 partner organizations helped rescue 1,25,408 children from criminal gangs between April 2023 and January 2026, leading to the registration of 86,459 trafficking cases. Of these rescued children, 28,797 were girls and 67,387 were boys. Many were neither separated from their families voluntarily nor ran away on their own; they were lured, threatened, or deceived into the traffickers’ clutches. Experts stress strict adherence to Supreme Court guidelines to monitor such cases.

Cases of Newborn Abduction
A particularly shocking case involved a newborn stolen just an hour after birth in December 2024 from GTB Hospital’s labor room. Three years later, the child remains missing. Kartik Sharma from Seemapuri reported that his wife Puja gave birth at the hospital while he and his family waited outside. The baby, taken to the nursery, was reportedly abducted by a woman within 15 minutes.

Delhi Police SOP for Missing Children
To tackle missing child cases, Delhi Police has implemented a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued on April 12, 2022. Key measures include:

• Facilitation desks at police stations for missing person complaints, supervised by the DCP.
• Separate registers at each station for all missing persons, reviewed monthly by the ACP.
• Immediate activation of Investigation Inspectors and Juvenile Welfare Officers upon receiving complaints.
• Prompt collection of complete information and recent photographs, and appointment of an ASI-level officer for investigation.

Incentives for Police Officers
To encourage timely action, officers who locate 80 or more children under 18 in a year—including at least 25 under 14—are eligible for out-of-turn promotions.

How to Report Missing Children
Complaints can be lodged via:

1. Directly at a police station
2. Phone: 23241210 or 1094
3. Social media platforms
4. Fax, email, SMS, or WhatsApp
5. Police web portal or mobile app

This report underscores the ongoing challenge of child trafficking in Delhi and the urgent need for vigilance, strict enforcement, and awareness among parents and authorities.