Following the news of two alleged child lifters being detained in Dimapur recently, Nagaland’s Department of School Education (DoSE) issued a set of directives to schools in the state to prevent child lifting. This was then followed by the unsettling news of two missing boys from the state capital, Kohima, who, according to reports, have now been found ‘safe’.
However, the number of ‘Missing Children’ in Nagaland continues to rise, as evidenced by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2019, which documented 71 missing children in 2016; 89 in 2017, and 95 in 2018. Meanwhile, according to the most recent NCRB data, which was released earlier this year, 26 children from Nagaland were reported missing in 2021.
A closer look into the crime data reported by the NCRB 2021 and articulated by Childline staff reveals an extremely serious yet overlooked situation.
According to the NCRB report 2021, Nagaland had 10 occurrences of kidnapping and abduction of children, 8 incidents of missing children considered kidnapped, and 1 event of kidnapping and abduction.
Speaking to Mokokchung Times, Takotila Jamir, Center Coordinator of Childline Mokokchung and sources from Kohima Childline confirmed that although there have been no cases of ‘Kidnapping and abduction’ in their respective districts so far, the two districts have seen a sharp increase in the filing of the ‘missing children’ report. They also stated that, with the exception of a few cases, they have successfully traced all missing children.
Loza Kape, the Dimapur district Childline Coordinator, also confirmed that there has been an increase in complaints of missing children, notably in August and September of this year, but said that the majority of the children have been found. She also informed that there have been a few incidents of kidnapping and abduction in Dimapur.
However, although most of the missing children have been traced and found, society must consider why the children go missing in the first place.
Why do the children go missing?
The Childline workers of various districts have unanimously said that there are many complicated factors and reasons as to why a child goes missing.
According to them, children having various family issues or children from dysfunctional families or children facing financial and educational pressure are mostly the ones who go ‘missing’. There are also cases where young teenagers elope with their partners while there are few cases where children do get lured in. However, there is a convincing indication that children are running away from home by themselves.
One of the most common cases that was shared in all the three districts was that most of the ‘missing children’ that were traced included ‘children staying as domestic helpers’, ‘children aged 14-16 eloping with their partners’, ‘children who grew up with abusive parents’ and ‘children whose parents abuses substances’. In most of the cases, the children reportedly ran away by themselves because they no longer felt safe at home.
According to reports, the majority of child kidnappings and abductions in Nagaland occurred when children were held as ransom or as ‘mortgage’ for a debt that needed to be returned. According to sources, most kidnappings have been carried out by highly influential and powerful members of society.
Meanwhile, sources also informed that in a few cases of kidnapping and murder, human trafficking and even forced prostitution were involved.
Role of society
Loza Kape expressed her concern about the high number of unreported incidents in Naga society. She further stated that, while the recent ‘alleged Dimapur abduction case’ and the ‘report of two missing boys from Kohima’ have raised public awareness and worry, such occurrences are neither new nor won’t be the last.
“About 9 to 10 missing cases are reported to Childline in Dimapur alone in a month. As frightening and disheartening as the news and facts are, it is great that individuals are reporting such incidents more frequently and that awareness is spreading,” she said. She then advised any concerned individual to call the Childline 1098 and report any type of crime they witness, rather than turning a blind eye.
“I appreciate that we Nagas have a tendency to avoid getting involved in other people’s affairs, but if you come across any bad treatment of a child or believe that their rights are being violated, please contact the Childline and file a complaint. We will protect the complainant’s identity,” she stated.