Pune Police Crack Down on Missing Cases; 126 Girls and 176 Women Still Untraced

Pune, 27th May 2026: Amid a rising number of missing persons cases in Pune, the Pune City Police have launched a special campaign titled “Operation Muskaan” to trace missing children, women, and other individuals who have remained untraced over the past several years.

According to data released by Pune Police, 3,388 girls have gone missing from Pune city and nearby areas since 2020. Of these, 126 girls are still untraced. During the same period, 1,024 boys were reported missing, with 23 yet to be located.

Police records also show that 12,369 women went missing over the last five years, of whom 176 remain untraced. Similarly, 9,835 men were reported missing, and 1,996 of them are still missing.

The special operation is being carried out under the guidance of Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Darade. Teams from all police stations along with the Crime Branch will participate in the drive.

Police officials said cases involving minors and young women allegedly being abducted in love affairs, women leaving home due to domestic disputes, and individuals going missing because of financial distress have contributed to the increase in such incidents in the city.

As part of Operation Muskaan, officials from the Crime Branch’s Anti-Human Trafficking Cell and various investigation teams will reopen and reinvestigate pending missing person cases. Police teams will re-question relatives and close associates of missing individuals and review CCTV footage from crowded public places, including railway stations and bus depots.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Tejaswi Satpute said every missing person case would be investigated seriously under the special campaign.

“Under Operation Muskaan, efforts will be made to trace all missing persons from the city. Every case will be investigated with seriousness and sensitivity,” Satpute said.