Mumbai, March 4 – In a significant move to address the pressing issue of missing women in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the formation of a dedicated special cell on Wednesday. Speaking in the Legislative Council, the CM revealed that this new unit will be headed by a senior woman officer at the Additional Director General of Police level.
The special cell is tasked with meticulously planning and executing search operations across the state. Fadnavis highlighted that in just the past year, these efforts have resulted in a commendable 10 percent increase in the recovery rate of missing women. Regular meetings under the leadership of women officers are now a staple, ensuring coordinated statewide campaigns.
During question hour, MLA Niranjan Davkhare raised the initial query, followed by supplementary questions from Bhai Jagtap. The CM provided detailed insights, noting that approximately 55 to 60 percent of missing women are traced within the first year. This figure impressively climbs to 90 percent within two and a half to three years.
Fadnavis emphasized the government’s ambitious target of pushing this recovery rate to 95-96 percent. ‘We will continue our efforts relentlessly, devising fresh action plans annually to bolster these search initiatives,’ he asserted. Complementing these measures, Home State Minister Pankaj Bhoyar shared updates on ‘Operation Muskan,’ a flagship program that has conducted 13 drives from July 2015 to December 2024, successfully reuniting 41,193 boys and girls with their families.
The 14th edition of Operation Muskan, underway from January 20 to February 20, has already located 1,401 children as of February 16, including 454 boys and 947 girls. Additionally, ‘Operation Shodh’ specifically targets missing women and children. For enhanced safety, ‘Nirbhaya Squads’ have been established statewide, alongside increased police patrols to curb crimes against women and girls.
Innovative community outreach programs like ‘Police Uncle’ and ‘Police Didi’ are fostering trust and vigilance. Every police station now features dedicated helplines for women, marking a comprehensive strategy to safeguard vulnerable populations and ensure no case goes unresolved.