Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav disclosed in a written reply to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly that 61,112 girls went missing across the state between 2021 and 2025, with 3,241 still untraced as of the latest government data. The figures, tabled in the House, reveal a year-on-year rise in reported cases over the five-year period.

Year-Wise Trend Shows Steady Rise

The data presented in the Assembly shows a consistent upward trajectory: 9,407 cases in 2021; 9,093 in 2022; 11,250 in 2023; 11,907 in 2024; and the highest single-year figure of 13,146 in 2025. This marks a roughly 40% increase in reported missing-girl cases from 2021 to 2025.

Notably, 3,627 cases were already pending at the start of 2021, reflecting a pre-existing backlog that authorities had to address alongside fresh reports. In the first five months of 2026 alone, 6,309 new cases of missing girls have already been registered, with investigations actively underway.

Recovery Numbers and Police Protocol

According to the Chief Minister's reply, 61,498 girls were successfully traced and brought back safely during the same timeframe — a figure that also includes recoveries from cases filed before 2021. The government clarified that, in line with Supreme Court directives, all cases involving missing minor girls are mandatorily registered as 'kidnapped' to ensure prompt and thorough police investigation without laxity.

State's Anti-Trafficking Measures

The Madhya Pradesh government is implementing Operation Muskaan, a comprehensive campaign aimed at preventing the abduction and trafficking of girls across the state. Under this umbrella, Operation Srijan focuses specifically on cases involving girls, while Operation Abhimanyu addresses missing boys.

Monthly review meetings are being conducted to monitor progress and expedite recoveries. The state has also established an Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau at the state level, with dedicated Anti-Human Trafficking Units set up in all 52 women's police stations operating across Madhya Pradesh.

What the Numbers Mean

This is the first comprehensive five-year disclosure of missing-girl data by the Madhya Pradesh government in the Assembly, and it comes amid broader national concerns over child safety and trafficking. Critics argue that while the recovery rate appears high on paper, the 3,241 girls still untraced represent a significant accountability gap. The surge in 2025 cases and the early 2026 figures suggest the challenge is intensifying rather than abating, raising questions about whether existing institutional mechanisms are scaling fast enough to match demand.