Missing Faces of India

In the past two years almost 6,000 children have been reported as missing in the city of Delhi according police reports. Best estimates by the police department say that 10-20 have been recovered by local authorities and returned safely to their families. This is a hidden tragedy occurring everyday in the cities poor slums. Children are take off the street to be sold or used as prostitutes and beggars. While the police claim many of the incidents are children running away or eloping of their own accord, the families in these poor communities say that is not the case. Children as young as two have gone missing from their homes and schools. Making the problem worse is that a majority of the children taken are from very poor families who have no power or influence to put pressure for results on the police. After facing public outrage for a similar issue last year the local officials have vowed to work harder but no one is sure what is to be done. In a city as large and congested as Delhi, if the child is not seen being taken their is little hope of tracing them and even less chance of catching the kidnappers. While many of the families of the missing children feel the police do not care because they are poor, they still remain vigilant in their search for their missing loved ones. Even in the face of such tragedy and disappointment they still remain hopeful.