Over one lakh people missing, police acted in only 9,700 cases; High Court says figures are shocking
Lucknow (The Uttam Hindu): The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench has taken a strong stand on the rising number of missing persons in Uttar Pradesh and the alleged inaction of the police. Taking suo motu cognisance of reports stating that more than one lakh people have gone missing in the state over the past two years, the court has ordered that the matter be registered as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The bench expressed serious concern over the functioning of the police and said the figures are alarming and deeply disturbing.
The issue came to light during the hearing of a criminal writ petition filed by a distressed father, Vikrama Prasad, before a division bench of Justice Abdul Moin and Justice Babita Rani. The petitioner told the court that his son has been missing since July 2024, but the police have shown little interest in tracing him and have failed to take effective steps. While hearing the plea, the court sought a response from the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), which revealed shocking data.
According to the affidavit filed by the state government, complaints regarding around 1,08,300 missing persons were registered in Uttar Pradesh between January 1, 2024 and January 18, 2026. Despite the large number of cases, police action was initiated in only about 9,700 cases, raising serious questions about law enforcement efficiency. This means that action was taken in barely a small fraction of the total complaints.
After reviewing the data, the court expressed surprise and dissatisfaction with the approach of the authorities. Observing that cases of missing persons require immediate and serious action, the bench said such delay and inaction are unacceptable. Considering the wider public interest involved, the court directed the registry to register the matter as a separate PIL titled “In re: Missing Persons in the State.” The bench also ordered that the case be listed for hearing immediately, given its seriousness.