STANDARDOPERATINGPROCEDUREFOR CASESOF MISSINGCHILDREN

Background Dimensions to understanding the concept

of “missing child”
The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Bachpan Generally stating, missing children are usually
Bachao Andolan vs. Union of India (WP (Civil) children who are separated from the
parents/family/guardian. However, this SOP also
75 of 2012) on 10th May 2013 had directed
includes within its purview procedures set out in
formulation of a Standard Operating
relation to those children who may have been
Procedure for cases of Missing Children. The
found/traced by the Police, CWC, Childline or
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
any other organization and/or individual till their
Children) Act, 2015 under section 14 (vii)
parents/family/guardian is traced and the child is
includes a ‘Misssing Child’ as a ‘child in need of
restored. Some of such children may have been
care of protection’ and in Rule 92 of the
subsequently residing in Child Care Institutions
“Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
(“CCI”).
Children) Model Rules, 2016”, a procedure of
inquiry regarding a missing child has been laid Thus, for the purposes of the procedures set out
down. here under this SOP:
a ‘missing child’ may be one who is lost
Objective (separated from family), has left home on his/her
own without a notice or has been abducted or
This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) kidnapped or trafficked or abandoned. Usually,
envisages to assist Police, Child Welfare parents/ family/ guardian will file a missing
Committee and Juvenile Justice Board in dealing complaint in such cases.
with the cases of missing and found or recovered
children. The Objective of the SOP is to put in a ‘traced child’ will be a child who is traced by
place guidelines while dealing with cases of the police on the basis of a missing child report/
missing children and to work in coordination FIR.
with stakeholders and respond with urgency to
a ‘found child’ is a child found by the Police on
issues of missing child. Ensure expeditious and
the streets/ in a market place/ at railway platforms/
effective law enforcement including prosecution.
at bus stops/ in trains/ at a port/ at airports/ on a
Create mechanism and systems to prevent further
bus or other public transport/ in a hospital/ during
victimization of missing children. Ensure that
rescue operations or at any public place and/or is
appropriate and timely protection/care/attention
brought before/referred to the Police by Juvenile
is provided to victims/witnesses.
Justice Board (“JJB”) / Child Welfare Committees
(“CWC”) / Childline/ any other NGO or any
individual.
Generally stating, missing children are children
who are separated from the family/guardian and
may include:
 Traced Children
 Found Children
 Run away children
 Abandoned children
 Kidnapped Children
 Lost children
 Trafficked Children
 Children missing/lost/found due to
accidents, disaster, calamity, and other
miscellaneous reasons Children missing
from CCIs

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I. DEFINITION: III. WHERE / HOW TO

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Rule 92 (1) of the Juvenile Justice (Care REPORT A MISSING CHILD ?
and Protection of Children) 1. Where?
Model Rules 2016 defines a i. At the police station/AHTU/SJPU;
missing child as - “a child ii. The PCR number: dial
whose whereabouts are not 100;
known to the parents, legal iii. Any other
guardian or any other person or emergency
institution legally entrusted with helpline number of
the custody of the child, the police;
whatever may be the iv. Child Line1098;
circumstances or causes of v. After reporting to police, the information of
disappearance, and shall be missing child can be entered by any
considered missing and in need individual after logging onto
of care and protection until www.trackthemissingchild.gov.in and
located or his safety and well- photograph be uploaded in the citizen's
being established.” corner to assist all the stakeholders to track
the missing child.
II. WHO MAY 2. How?
FILE THE In addition to all the regular means of filing a
complaint i.e. in person, over the phone, over
COMPLAINT?
the e-mail, or other communications, a missing
1. A parent
child's complaint may be filed through SMS
2. A legal guardian
3. A relative to the authorities. The police should record
4. Child Welfare Committee all such information on the General Diary
5. ChildLine 1098 (GD), conduct a preliminary verification of
6. NGOs the caller and get the FIR registered.
7. Police
8. Public Servant
9. Any person concerned with the safety and
well being of the child
10. Any person who has knowledge about the
incident

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IV. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Squad, District Missing Persons

Unit, National Crimes R e c o r d s
OF STAKE HOLDERS Bureau, State Crimes Records
Bureau, Central Bureau of
When the Child goes missing: Investigation, PCRs, Railway Police
and other related institutions;
Police
iv. Send the copy of the FIR by post/email
a) As per the to the office of nearest Legal Services
directions of the Authority along with addresses and
Hon'ble Supreme contact phone numbers of parents and
Court of India in legal guardians of the missing child
Bachpan Bachao or the child care institution, after
Andolan vs. Union uploading the relevant information
of India (WP (Civil) 75 of 2012) on 10 th onto the designated portal;
May 2013, - “upon receipt of a complaint v. Prepare sufficient number of Hue and
regarding a missing child, an FIR should be Cry notice containing photograph and
registered forthwith as a case of trafficking physical description of the missing
or abduction’. child to be sent for publication;
b) Inform the Child Welfare Police Officer vi. Give wide publicity by publishing or
and forward the FIR to the Special telecasting the photographs and the
Juvenile Police Unit for immediate description of missing child, as feasible
action for tracing the child. Refer in
Annexure –I. (a) leading newspapers
c) The police shall also: (b) Television/electronic media,
i. Collect a recent photograph of the (c) local cable television network and
missing child and make copies for (d) social media and thereafter submit
District Missing Persons Unit, Missing for ratification by the Board or the
Persons Squad, National Crime Records Committee or the Children's Court, as
Bureau/Media etc.; the case maybe;
ii. Fill the form “M” on the vii. Give wide publicity in the
designated portal surrounding area through the use of
www.trackthemissingchild.gov.in loud speakers and the distribution and
Refer Annexure –II. affixture of Hue and Cry notice at
iii. Fill the specific designated prominent places. Social networking
“Missing Persons portals, short message service alerts
Information Form” and and slides in cinema halls can be used
immediately send to to reach out to the masses;
Missing Persons viii. Distribute Hue and Cry notice at all
the outlets of the city or town, that
is, railway stations, bus stands,

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airports, regional passport offices, f) Assess the level of threat or danger to the
and other prominent places. child, or his/her family and take
ix. Search areas and spots of interest such immediate steps to ensure their
as movie theatres, shopping malls, protection.
parks, game parlours and areas where g) Also inform immigration authorities,
missing or runaway children should be Border Security Force (BSF), Railways
identified and watched; and other transport authorities, provincial/
x. Scan the recordings of the Close territorial and municipal agencies, and
Circuit Television Cameras installed in any NGOs involved in service delivery
the vicinity of the area from where the for spotting and recovering/rescuing the
child was reported missing and on all missing children.
possible routes, transit and
destinations. Risk Assessment
xi. Inquire from under construction sites, As per the check list at Annexure III, taking
unused buildings, hospitals and into consideration various parameters with
clinics, child line services and other respect to the missing child, risk assessment
local outreach workers, railway police should be done and
and other places; the "Risk Assessment
xii. Details of missing children should be Form" be filled out by
sent to the District Crime Records the SHO/ Officer in
Bureau of the neighboring States and charge to determine
Station House Officers (SHOs) of the the:
bordering police stations including in- i. The urgency
charge of all police posts in their of
jurisdiction and shall conduct regular investigation
interaction with the concerned so that ii. Areas of inquiry
follow up action is ensured. iii. Types of specialist knowledge that might
d) Invoke the services of District Legal be needed
Services Authorities through empanelled iv. The supervision that may be required
lawyers and the paralegal volunteer (PLV) v. Agencies who may be first alerted
appointed at the police station or the
district authority. Organized Crime Perspective
1. Where a child cannot be traced within a
e) Upload information on the
period of four months, the investigation of
www.trackthemissingchild.gov.in portal. In
the case shall be transferred to the Anti
case the information is already uploaded,
Human Trafficking Unit in the district which
match the complaint with case details
shall make reports every three months to the
uploaded on the portal.
District Legal Services Authority regarding
the progress made in the investigation.

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2. If trafficking or any other element of

2. Supervising officer (Role of Supervising
organized crime is suspected, a specialized
Officer overseeing the investigation)
team shall be instituted for investigation
headed by the SHO.
1. Supervisory Officer should ensure that SOPs
3. Ensure the compliance of investigation as issued in this regard are strictly followed.
per the check list in Annexure –IV. She/he should also follow the illustrative (not
exhaustive) checklist provided in Annexure-
Steps to be taken when a child is found or
IV.
recovered: 2. Supervisory Officers should closely monitor
and facilitate the investigation of each case of
1. Police missing child, periodically review the status
of each case and ensure quality of the
1. After
investigation conducted.
recovery, produce
3. Once the child is found, the Supervisory
the child before
Officer should ensure that proper follow up
CWC/JJB/Childre
actions are taken by the police.
n' s Court, as the
4. The Supervisory Officer should ensure reward
case may be, for
/ punishment systems are in place.
appropriate directions. Refer Annexure 5. The Supervisory Officer must ensure that
– V. full cooperation is given to the Para legal
2. The child should be examined by a team
volunteers at the Police Stations and also to
of medical experts, including psycho-
the District Legal Services Authorities and
social experts.
all grievances or issues are ironed out and
3. Proper home verification be carried out
addressed.
before the child is reunited with Parents/
legal guardians through the CWC. 3. Child Welfare Committee
4. The recovery form “R” on the TrackChild
portal must be filled and data be updated a) When a missing
in www.trackthemissingchild.gov.in. child is found or
Refer Annexure –VI. recovered and/or
5. Send a report to the District Legal Services a child in conflict
Authority which shall provide counselling with law is found
and support services to the child and the to be a missing child, he shall be
family. produced before the Committee, as the
6. Conduct an enquiry whether the child has case may be, for appropriate direction,
been subjected to any offence under the Act
or any other law and if so, proceed
accordingly.

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b) In case FIR is not registered in a case of h) Pass orders for recovery of back-wages of the
missing/trafficked child, immediately direct child, in case the found or recovered child was
the police for registration of FIR for trafficked for forced or/and bonded labour.
offences committed against children in need i) Direct PO/ Police/ CWO/ Childline / DCPU/
of care and protection. Other organization for necessary action and
c) Any three members of the Committee follow up.
together, may take suo moto cognizance of j) Perform all duties specified under Section 30 of
any case of missing child, report to the the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
police, or the AHTU immediately and Children) Act, 2015 and the rules therein, and
initiate process of providing care and send regular updates and report to the
protection to the child. appropriate agency at the District /State level.
d) Assess the needs of the child and pass
4. Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)
orders with respect to repatriating the child
a) If any found/traced child is produced before
or placing the child in a fit facility or with a
the Juvenile Justice Board as a child in conflict
fit person, or declare free for adoption or
with law, such a child should immediately be
foster care, or any other arrangement by
redirected to the relevant Child Welfare
following due process of law, keeping in
Committee after due enquiry, for initiating the
mind the best interest of the child.
process of rehabilitation.
e) Engage services of the DCPU/District
b) Incase FIR is not registered in a case of
Legal Services Authority in the source
missing/trafficked child, immediately direct the
district of the found/traced child, to
police for registration of FIR for offences
facilitate smooth and effective
committed against children in need of care and
rehabilitation of the child, and for any
protection.
other legal support. Ensure that the case
c) Ensure availability of free legal aid for the child
of the child has been linked to the District
through the District Legal Services Authority.
Legal Services Authority.
d) Create an individual care plan as per the
f) Ascertain if the child is in need of any
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
medical care, and pass direction to link the
Children) Act, 2015 and the Rules therein, for
child to the appropriate medical
each child's including follow up by the
institution.
Probation Officer the District Child Protection
g) In the absence of adequate proof of age,
Unit or a member of a non-governmental
pass directions for age determination test
organisation, as it may be required as per
of the child. The report of the test should
Section 8 (3) (h) or Section 19 (2) of the
be obtained immediately after the test
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
results have been concluded. In the
Children) Act, 2015.
meantime, the child may be placed in a fit
facility.

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ANNEXURES

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ANNEXURE –II: FORM ‘M’

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ANNEXURE III: RISK ASSESSMENT

The following form should be filled out by the SHO in charge to structure inquiries and to
assist the level of risk posed to the missing child

DETAILS AND PERSONS GIVING THAT

NO. INVESTIGATIVE CONSIDERATIONS
CIRCUMSTANCES INFORMATION

Whether the child is under the age

1.
of 14 years

2. If the missing person is a girl child

If the child comes from the

3. Economically Weaker Section
(EWS)

If the missing child has been a

subject of prior missing persons
4. reports; or previously disappeared
and suffered or was exposed to
harm whilst missing

If the missing child has previously

5. been a victim/witness in any
criminal investigation

If the missing child suffers from a

mental or physical impairment or
serious illness; or requires essential
6.
medication or treatment not readily
available to them e.g. asthma
inhalers or insulin?

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DETAILS AND PERSONS GIVING THAT

NO. INVESTIGATIVE CONSIDERATIONS
CIRCUMSTANCES INFORMATION

If the child is known to associate

with adults or children who present
7.
risk of harm e.g. sexual offenders,
drug peddlers etc.

If the child had been associated

8.
with any known criminals

If the child had been interacting

9.
with adults on the internet

If the child was subject to drugs

10.
and alcohol dependency

If the complainants have reason to

believe that the missing child has
11.
been abducted or kidnapped for
ransom

If there are suspicions of suicide or

12.
self-harm

If the child was involved in violent

13.
incidents prior to crime

If the child has had a history of

14.
abuse at home

If the child is being

compelled/manipulated into a
15.
situation of bonded or exploitative
child labour with or without

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DETAILS AND PERSONS GIVING THAT

NO. INVESTIGATIVE CONSIDERATIONS
CIRCUMSTANCES INFORMATION

knowledge of the parents/family/

legal guardian;

If there is a high likelihood that the

16. child may get lured into
trafficking;

If the child is being threatened by

17. related or non-related adults to take
up inappropriate work;

If there is a likelihood that the

18. child may get ‘sold’ by related or
not related persons.

Inclement weather conditions

19. where exposure would seriously
increase the risk to health

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ANNEXURE IV
This checklist is meant to provide a framework of actions, consideration and activities that
may assist in performing competent, productive and thorough investigation in cases of
missing/abducted children.

Checklist for IOs/Eos

NO. INVESTIGATIVE CONSIDERATIONS YES NO

Whether the police officer dealing in missing children case is in

1.
plain clothes?

Whether the police officer dealing in missing children case is part

2.
of SJPU? If not has SJPU/District head of SJPU been informed?

Whether the parent(s)/ legal guardian(s)/persons who made the

3.
initial report were interviewed and their statements recorded?

4. Whether the fact of missing was confirmed?

Whether information regarding the missing child has been

5.
uploaded in Form ‘M’ on www.trackthemissingchild.gov.in

Whether the LSA and the para legal volunteers have been
6. immediately involved and their inputs in relation to case details
have been duly considered?

7. Whether the circumstances of the disappearance were identified?

Whether the individuals who last had contact with the child were
8.
interviewed?

Whether a detailed description was obtained of the missing child,

9.
abductor, and any vehicle involved?

Whether the photograph/videotapes of the missing child/abductor

10.
were secured?

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NO. INVESTIGATIVE CONSIDERATIONS YES NO

11. Whether FIR is lodged immediately?

Whether all the steps required to be taken on a missing report as

12.
per SOP were initiated?

Whether the complainant was suitably guided when he/she calls

13.
up subsequently about progress of the case?

Whether names/ addresses/ telephone numbers of the child's

14. friends/teachers/associates and other relatives and friends of the

family obtained?

15. Whether the scene and area of the child's home sealed/protected?

Whether the fact that child has a cellular telephone or other

16. electronic communication device or access to internet was
ascertained?

Whether the search was extended to surrounding areas including

17. vehicles and other places of concealment or amusement or open
drains/pits etc.?

Whether the area where the child was last seen was investigated
18.
for CCTV or other such equipment?

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ANNEXURE VI: FORM ‘R’

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