The Jharkhand High Court unleashed a barrage of criticism against the state’s law enforcement and child safety protocols after a Gumla mother renewed her desperate plea for her missing six-year-old daughter, vanished since September 2018. During the latest habeas corpus hearing, Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad and AK Rai tore into the lackadaisical probe, summoning the Home Secretary for January 27.
Gumla SP’s court appearance brought little solace: a new SIT was deployed, hitting Delhi trails and plastering posters, but the girl remains untraced after eight agonizing years. The bench zeroed in on unregulated nomadic tribes roaming from Rajasthan and beyond, erecting tents unchecked amid suspicions of child abduction rackets like the Gulguliya syndicate.
No ID verifications, no state guidelines— the court fumed over police inaction fueling trafficking networks. ‘These groups indulge in crimes, yet roam freely,’ observed the judges, insisting on airtight monitoring rules.
Chandramuni Urain’s petition followed futile police complaints, highlighting institutional apathy. As Deputy AG Sachin Kumar defended the state, the court vowed no leniency, urging a comprehensive anti-trafficking strategy to prevent more families from enduring endless torment.