Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], June 10 (ANI): Demonstrating its commitment to citizen safety and family reunification, the Gujarat Police have successfully traced 1,470 missing persons during a month-long statewide operation titled Operation Milap.

According to a press release, the special drive was launched to locate missing individuals, bring them back to their families, and strengthen public confidence in policing.

The operation was launched across the state on May 7 to review and investigate pending missing persons cases. According to police records, a total of 24,767 people have been reported missing in Gujarat since 2007.

As per the release, under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, the Gujarat Police have been pursuing a citizen-centric policing approach focused on women's safety, protection of children and vulnerable persons, action against narcotics networks, identification of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, and matters concerning national security. Operation Milap formed a key part of these efforts to enhance public safety and ensure timely intervention in missing persons cases.

'Although the special drive to trace missing persons has concluded, our efforts will not stop here. Police officers have been instructed to continue pursuing missing persons cases alongside their routine policing duties,' said GS Malik, Director General of Police, Gujarat.

According to the release, he emphasised that tracing missing persons, particularly women and children, remains a key priority of the Gujarat Police as part of its broader commitment to protecting citizens and ensuring their safety and well-being.

'The operation was based on both technical and human intelligence inputs and involved a thorough review of old case records along with fresh field-level verification. Police teams examined digital records, social media activity, transport hubs, and shelter homes, while also revisiting complainants and witnesses to gather fresh leads,' said Ajay Choudhary, Additional Director General of Police, CID Crime (Women Cell), Gujarat.

'Operation Milap has revealed important trends behind missing persons cases in Gujarat, with adolescent girls emerging as the most vulnerable group. During the special drive, police traced a large number of missing children and women, including several long-pending cases and recoveries from states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand and West Bengal,'' senior police officer said.

Of the 1,470 persons traced during the operation, 852 were women, 342 were men, 42 were minor boys, and 234 were minor girls. Among all police units, Surat City Police recorded the highest number of recoveries, tracing 341 missing persons, said the release.

'Analysis of recovered cases shows that romantic relationships and elopement were the leading reasons behind disappearances, particularly among girls aged 14 to 17 years. Family conflicts, including parental reprimand, educational setbacks and domestic disputes, were also major contributing factors. Migration among labour families further complicated tracing efforts, often resulting in interstate movement,'' an official added.

According to the release, as part of the drive, police reopened and reviewed long-pending cases, including those registered as far back as 2007, resulting in the successful tracing of several missing persons whose whereabouts had remained unknown for years.

Police attributed the success of Operation Milap to intensive field investigations, intelligence gathering, mobile phone analysis, interstate coordination and family counselling. The initiative also underscores the Gujarat Police's continued focus on responsive, people-centric policing and its resolve to ensure that missing persons cases receive sustained attention until they are resolved. (ANI)