Maharashtra is ramping up its fight against missing persons cases with a new elite special cell focused exclusively on women, as announced by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the Legislative Council. The Wednesday revelation underscores a woman-led leadership at ADG rank, poised to revolutionize search protocols.
This cell will orchestrate planning and execution of search missions, yielding a 10 percent recovery boost in the past year alone. Frequent meetings chaired by female officers are driving consistent statewide operations, reflecting a structured and proactive stance.
Questioned by Niranjan Davkhare and supplemented by Bhai Jagtap, Fadnavis shared recovery trends: 55-60 percent within year one, soaring to 90 percent over 2-3 years. Aiming for 95-96 percent, the government commits to yearly strategy refreshes.
Minister Pankaj Bhoyar spotlighted ‘Operation Muskan’s’ track record—13 campaigns since 2015 recovering 41,193 children. The ongoing 14th operation has found 1,401 by February 16 (947 girls, 454 boys). ‘Operation Shodh’ complements this for women and kids.
Safety nets expand with ‘Nirbhaya Squads,’ intensified patrols against crimes on women, community programs like ‘Police Uncle/Didi,’ and women-specific helplines in every station. This holistic framework not only traces the missing but fortifies prevention, heralding a safer Maharashtra.