The Mumbai Police on Monday issued a clarification after media reports suggested that it had issued a high alert due to high human trafficking of minor children, saying that they “categorically deny” the claims made in such reports.
Several reports of 12 minor children going missing in 36 hours in Mumbai went viral on social media, causing widespread panic. This prompted the Mumbai Police to issue a clarification.
“Certain social media handles are misrepresenting data and indulging in rumour-mongering regarding cases of missing and kidnapped children. We categorically deny these claims,” the police said in a statement on X.
It also added that action against those “deliberately spreading false information and creating public panic” is underway, including registration of FIRs.
“Action, including the registration of FIRs against those deliberately spreading false information and creating public panic, is under process,” the statement added.
What did the reports say?
Several social media handles, including those of reputed media organisations and personalities, shared reports of 12 minor children, including eight girls, going missing in Mumbai in the last 36 hours.
The reports claimed that the children went missing across seven police station limits, causing panic among the general public.
The said reports on social media also suggested that the Mumbai Police has issued a high alert, suspecting possible human trafficking and added that the cops had launched searches at markets, railway and bus stations, hospitals and child homes.
Several residents began sharing those reports, calling for a red alert to be issued. The comments section of the social media posts showed widespread panic among the public, with people questioning why the media hasn’t picked up on this more widely.
The panic prompted the police department to clear the air around what was happening. The Mumbai Police denied the reports, calling it “rumour mongering”.
