Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis brought hope to many families on Wednesday by unveiling plans for a special cell dedicated to locating missing women in Maharashtra. Addressing the Legislative Council, he confirmed the cell’s leadership by a woman ADG, marking a milestone in gender-sensitive policing.
Focused on crafting and deploying search strategies, the cell has already lifted recovery rates by 10 percent in one year. Women officers lead routine reviews, fueling relentless campaigns across districts.
Responding to queries from Niranjan Davkhare and Bhai Jagtap, the CM outlined progress: half to three-fifths recovered early, nearing nine-tenths by year three. With eyes on 95-96 percent, annual plans will sharpen the edge.
Pankaj Bhoyar detailed ‘Operation Muskan,’ reuniting 41,193 children via 13 drives over nine years. Phase 14, through February 20, has 1,401 successes so far—heavily skewed towards girls at 947 versus 454 boys.
‘Operation Shodh’ targets adults, while ‘Nirbhaya Squads,’ extra patrols, ‘Police Uncle/Didi’ drives, and station helplines weave a safety tapestry. Maharashtra’s blueprint promises efficiency, empathy, and eventual eradication of prolonged missing cases.