Shiv Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has raised serious concerns over the increasing number of child abductions in Maharashtra, stating that gangs are systematically targeting young children across the state. In a sharply worded letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,
Thackeray questioned the government’s approach, accusing it of focusing on budget approvals during the winter legislative session while neglecting critical issues affecting public safety.
What does the letter say?
Thackeray’s letter points to a nearly 30% increase in child abductions between 2021 and 2024, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. He expressed alarm at interstate gangs abducting children, forcing them into labor, and compelling them to beg.
Thackeray hit out at the government for failing to take visible action against these gangs and questioned why there is no clear strategy to prevent such crimes.
He further stressed that government statistics, which often highlight only the percentage of children recovered, do not reflect the full scale of the problem. Even when children are rescued, the trauma they endure remains unaddressed. Thackeray demanded clarity on how these gangs operate so openly and persistently, questioning why the government has not taken “strong, decisive action.”
Call for legislative and administrative action
Thackeray urged that discussions on child abductions, missing girls, and other public safety issues be prioritized in the legislative assembly. He criticized the winter session for being largely focused on approving supplementary budgets, often with ministers absent when questions are raised. He also suggested that children seen begging in public areas should be properly identified, even through DNA testing if necessary, to ensure their safety.
Thackeray emphasised that the state government, in coordination with the central authorities, should take concrete steps to curb child abductions and protect vulnerable children.
He concluded that Maharashtra’s citizens expect the government not only to raise these issues in the assembly but also to implement effective, on-the-ground measures to safeguard children across the state.
