A minor boy has gone missing from the Mankhurd Children’s Home in Mumbai, raising serious concerns about child safety and supervision in government-run shelters. The incident occurred on the night of September 9, prompting the Trombay Police to register a case against an unknown person and launch a search operation. According to the FIR, Santosh Janardhan Mitkar, 56, a security guard at the facility, reported the incident at the Trombay Police Station. As per Mitkar’s account, he and his colleague, Samadhan Birwadkar, began their shift at 4:00 PM that day. An initial headcount confirmed the presence of 71 children at the shelter.
Following evening snacks, the children were allowed to play within the premises. A second attendance check at 6:00 PM again confirmed that all children were accounted for. However, during the final headcount at 9:30 PM, one child was found to be missing.
An internal inquiry by the Children’s Home revealed that the missing boy had been admitted on June 27, 2023, through the Mumbai Suburban Child Welfare Committee. He was last seen around 8:30 PM on the night of his disappearance. Immediate search efforts were undertaken within the shelter and surrounding areas. Staff even visited the boy’s native place in Kolegaon, Dombivli (East), but were unable to locate him. Hoping the child might return on his own, the administration waited until 4:00 PM the next day before filing a formal missing person complaint.