Navi Mumbai: Six minor girls have gone missing from different parts of Navi Mumbai over the past several days, prompting serious concern among residents and leading to multiple police investigations across the city. The cases, reported from Turbhe, NRI Coastal, Rabale, APMC and Koparkhairane police station limits, have highlighted the vulnerability of minors despite extensive CCTV coverage in residential and commercial areas.
Police have registered separate kidnapping cases in all incidents. Officers are reviewing CCTV footage, collecting mobile location data and questioning families, friends and neighbours, but no strong leads have emerged yet.
Two fresh cases from Turbhe and NRI-Seawoods
The two most recent disappearances were reported on Friday. A 14-year-old girl from Turbhe stepped out of her house and did not return. Police teams immediately began scanning CCTV footage in the vicinity, but her movements after leaving the lane remain unclear.
In the NRI-Seawoods area, a 16-year-old girl who was staying alone also went missing. Her phone has remained switched off since the time she disappeared, hampering digital tracking efforts. Investigators have been making door-to-door enquiries and mapping her recent contacts.
Residents in these areas say they are distressed that despite several CCTV cameras installed in shops, societies and intersections, the footage has not been able to pinpoint the girls’ whereabouts.
Four earlier cases raise alarm
Before these two incidents, four other girls had gone missing from other Navi Mumbai nodes. A 17-year-old girl vanished from Koparkhairane Sector 18. Another case involved a 15-year-old girl from Turbhe Naka who left home on 17 November but did not return. Her family filed an FIR only on 27 November, almost ten days after the disappearance, creating additional challenges for the investigation.
Two more cases were recorded under Rabale and APMC police stations earlier this week. In all six instances, families have been unable to trace the girls through relatives or acquaintances, and have expressed deep worry over their sudden disappearance.
Supreme Court directives on missing minors
Police officials say they are following Supreme Court guidelines, which mandate immediate FIR registration and swift investigation in cases of missing minors. According to the directives, all missing children must be treated as victims of kidnapping or trafficking until verified otherwise. Teams have been instructed to intensify searches across markets, transit points, railway stations and bus stands.
A senior police officer said that dedicated teams are working on each case and that technical and human intelligence inputs are being pursued. Families have also been assured that all procedural steps are being followed without delay.
Community concerns rise
The spate of missing cases has alarmed parents and guardians across Navi Mumbai. Resident welfare associations and community groups are urging parents to ensure children inform them about their whereabouts and avoid isolated routes. Civil society members have also demanded improved CCTV surveillance quality and stricter monitoring in internal lanes, where many disappearances reportedly occur.
Conclusion
With no major breakthroughs so far, police investigations continue across five police station limits. Officers have appealed to the public to share any relevant information immediately and remain vigilant while the search for the missing girls intensifies.