Ludhiana: A sudden spike in cases of minor girls going missing in the city has prompted the Punjab State Women Commission to take suo motu cognisance and seek an urgent report from Ludhiana police commissioner Swapan Sharma.At least 13 girls — 11 of them minors — have been reported missing between May 28 and June 4, with multiple FIRs registered across police stations, raising concern at the state level.Commission chairperson Raj Lali Gill said the panel acted on media reports and has asked the police commissioner to submit a detailed status report. “We have sought a report from the Ludhiana CP and expect to receive it shortly,” she said.Police, however, have maintained that there is no evidence of abduction or any organised racket. In a statement issued Friday, CP Sharma said 11 FIRs had been registered and preliminary investigations indicate that the girls had left their homes on their own due to personal or family reasons.“None of the cases so far point to kidnapping or forced abduction,” Sharma said, adding that four girls have already been traced and reunited with their families. In one instance, three girls reported missing from Jamalpur were located at their native village in Uttar Pradesh.Police said while kidnapping charges have been invoked in some FIRs, most cases involve allegations of wrongful confinement, with suspects identified in a few.Sharma added that efforts are on to trace the remaining girls through technical surveillance and field operations, while all possible angles continue to be examined.
