‘We’d rather die than return home’:MP Police rescues 1,900 missing girls under ‘Operation Muskaan’; minors say abuse mistreatment forced them to flee

When the police find and bring the girls back, many say, “We don’t want to go home.” They explain that their parents drink alcohol, fight, and physically abuse them. The affection they do not receive at home, they try to find elsewhere. Saying this, ASI Sushma Singh asks, “People say the girl ran away because of a love affair, but no one asks why a 12–14-year-old girl felt the need to do something like that.” Sushma Singh is an important part of the MP Police’s Operation Muskaan. She has traced many missing minor girls and reunited them with their parents. Every year, the police search for missing girls under this campaign. This time, under Operation Muskaan, conducted from 1 to 30 November, the police found 1,900 girls from across the state and brought them home. When the police spoke to these girls, they found that most had run away due to distress caused by the home environment. Read in today’s Sunday Big Story how the police searched for these girls and what reasons they gave for leaving home during questioning… First, understand why the girls left home or went missing 1. Stressful and violent home environment Vivek Singh, DCP of Bhopal Zone-2, says, “It is a misconception that only children from poor or tribal families go missing. About 40% of cases involve children from well-off families. Around 85% of missing children are minor girls. The root cause in most cases is a stressful and violent home environment.” 2. Lack of education and awareness ASI Sushma Singh, who has handled more than 500 such cases, says, “Labourer parents take their children to construction sites, where they receive neither education nor safety. People from other states lure young girls with sweet promises and abduct them.” 3. Society’s double standard Sushma Singh says, “When we bring the girls back, they say, ‘We don’t want to go home.’ They tell us that their parents drink alcohol, fight, and beat them. The love they lack at home, they seek outside. Society says the girl ran away due to a love affair, but no one asks why a 12–14-year-old girl felt the need to run away.” Understand through these 4 cases why girls ran away – 15-year-old Shubhangi says, “I live in a slum in Bhopal. One night, my mum asked me to drop my uncle’s daughter home. I was very unwell, but still had to go. While returning, I felt dizzy and sat by the roadside, reaching home half an hour late. As soon as I got home, my mum and dad began beating and abusing me.” “They started accusing me of doing something wrong outside. From that day on, I was beaten daily. During this time, I became friends with a boy who knew about my situation. I decided to run away with him. The police found us and returned us home, but the situation got worse. After two months, I ran away again but was caught.” “I told the police I wanted to stay with my friend, but they didn’t listen. Finally, I ran away for the third time and married him.” 14-year-old Mona says, “One day, my mum caught me talking to a boy on the phone. Without asking anything, she dragged me outside and started beating me. I had marks on my face and hands. I felt terrible and ran away. I took a train to Hyderabad, then another to Madurai, where some people helped me get work in a textile factory.” She lived there for 8 months. According to the police, there was no trace of Mona. After 8 months, thinking everything was normal, she posted a photo on Instagram. An old friend saw it and informed the police. When the police arrived, she refused to go with them. After counselling, she was finally reunited with her family. 13-year-old Charu, from a well-off family, lost her mother early in life. After that, her aunt made her do all the household chores. Even after sweeping, mopping, washing dishes, and cooking, her aunt treated her badly. When things became unbearable, Charu ran away. She contacted a friend she had made on social media and told him, “Take me away from here, or I will die.” He knew about the situation at home. She warned him not to tell her family, or she would commit suicide. The boy took her to his uncle’s house in Jalgaon. A few days later, Charu herself contacted her father. This helped the police trace her location. She was found in Jalgaon. Although she refused to return, she was handed over to her family. No evidence of sexual harassment or abuse was found, so the boy was not charged. In Bhopal, a 9-year-old girl was abducted by her neighbour Santosh under the pretext of giving her chocolates. Shockingly, he even accompanied the family to file the FIR. Three days later, when he also disappeared, the police suspected him. It was found that he had sold the girl for Rs 30,000 in Rajgarh. From Rajgarh, she was sold for Rs 1 lakh in Dholpur, where another deal of Rs 3 lakh was finalised. The police reached in time and rescued her. During this case, several other girls who had gone missing from Hoshangabad 5–8 years ago were also found. They had been sold for marriage. Now they have children and refused to return to their original families. Now know how the police work to trace the missing girls – Police use these methods to trace missing children: ACP Dr Rajneesh Kashyap of Bagsewania, Bhopal, says the credit for tracing 1,500–1,900 children every year goes to child officers and investigators who use technology effectively. All such cases are monitored at the ACP and DCP levels to ensure quick recovery. Counselling after the girls return Child welfare worker Archana Sahay says, “Finding the child is the first success, but our work does not end there.” Recording of statement: First, the child is presented before a magistrate, and her statement is recorded under Section 164, which is important for convicting the accused. Child Welfare Committee (CWC): The child is then taken to the CWC, where she is counselled and the family environment is evaluated. Return home or child care home: If the family is safe, the child is handed over after counselling. If the home environment is unsafe, she is placed in a child care home. Legal provisions: As per Supreme Court directions, if any minor goes missing, the police must register an FIR for kidnapping (Section 355 of BNS), which carries up to 7 years’ imprisonment. During investigation, serious charges like the POCSO Act can also be added. Psychiatrists say: If children don’t get respect at home, they seek it outside Explaining why girls aged 12–14 run away, Dr Jaiprakash Agrawal, HOD Psychiatry, Gandhi Medical College, says the biggest reason is family conflict. When children do not receive love or respect at home, they look for support elsewhere. Increased mobile use has made this easier. Outsiders show false dreams, and due to emotional immaturity, children are easily influenced. Between 12 and 15, they lack emotional maturity and cannot distinguish right from wrong. Troubled by the stressful home atmosphere, they trust anyone’s false assurances and leave home. Parents will also be involved in the campaign from next time Anil Kumar, Special DG of Women’s Safety, who led the campaign, says, “Operation Muskaan has not stopped; it is a continuous process because new cases keep emerging. The number of missing cases is currently the lowest in recent years. Before this operation, 700 pending cases from 2018 were also reduced.” He adds, “This time, along with tracing children, we also focused on creating awareness. From next year, we plan to involve parents in the campaign.”He says rescued girls who refuse to return home are kept in a ‘one-stop centre’ for up to 5 days. During this period, both the child and the parents are counselled. However, legally, the child must eventually be handed over to the parents.