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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Raj Thackeray tormented over ‘missing kids’ in state

Mumbai : Expressing grave concerns over the steep rise in cases of ‘missing children’ in the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray has accused the state government of treating the matter casually and failing to respond to it urgently.   In an open missive on 'X' to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray quoted data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pointing at almost an alarming 30 pc increase in the number of children ‘missing’ in the state...

Raj Thackeray tormented over ‘missing kids’ in state

Mumbai : Expressing grave concerns over the steep rise in cases of ‘missing children’ in the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray has accused the state government of treating the matter casually and failing to respond to it urgently.   In an open missive on 'X' to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray quoted data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pointing at almost an alarming 30 pc increase in the number of children ‘missing’ in the state between 2021-2024.   When asked for his reactions, Fadnavis told media-persons in Nagpur that he had not read the letter, but the issue raised is important and he would reply to it. Fadnavis stated that the NCRB has also provided the reasons why the kids go ‘missing’, how they return and the period, ranging from 3 days to 18 months.   Dwelling on the sufficiency of the NCRB figures, he contended that they reflect only complaints formally registered by the police and thousands of cases may never be reported.   On the ‘rescue, return and reunion’ of such missing children, he pointed to the sheer psychological trauma they may have suffered and sought to know how such child-lifter networks continued to thrive openly and blatantly.   The MNS chief targeted what he claimed was the “state’s lack of proactive measures to identify and dismantle child-begging rackets” as many juveniles can be seen begging at railway stations, bus stands, traffic signals, often accompanied by adults with doubtful authenticity.   “If some woman claims to be the child’s relative or guardian, should the government not order a thorough probe? Is it inappropriate to consider even a DNA test in suspicious cases,” Raj Thackeray demanded.   Slamming the government and the Opposition, he lamented how both sides failed to prioritise such urgent social issues in the legislature where discussions centre around partisan sparring.   The letter also mentions attempts by the Centre to coordinate with states on the ‘missing or trafficked children’, regretting how political upmanships and symbolic debates prevent meaningful action on the ground.   The NCRB said that Maharashtra has consistently ranked among states with the highest number of ‘missing children’, particularly in urban centres like Mumbai, Thane, and Pune.   Simultaneously, experts, child rights NGOs and activists have warned about trafficking networks that exploit poverty, migration and weak law enforcement and low convictions, despite official rescue missions or rehab efforts.   In his appeal, Raj Thackeray called upon Fadnavis to take concrete, visible measures rather than discussions and conventions. “Maharashtra expects decisive steps from you, not speeches. Jai Maharashtra,” he signed off.     In October 2023,Sharad Pawar red-flagged ‘missing girls-women’ This is the second major social cause by a political leader, two years after Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar had red-flagged nearly 20,000 ‘missing women and girls’ from the state between Jan-May 2023.   In the present instance, Raj Thackeray said that “behind the statistics lies a far more disturbing reality involving organised, inter-state gangs that kidnap children, physically abuse them and force them into begging rings”.   “Little kids are assaulted, made to beg and shifted across states. Groups of children disappear suddenly, and the government appears unable, or unwilling, to grasp the seriousness of what is happening,” said Thackeray in a strong tone.

Prowler sneaks into home, stabs actor; Khan safe

Encounter specialist Daya Nayak leads the investigation

Saif Ali Khan
ree

Mumbai: In a sensational development, an alleged cat burglar pussyfooted into Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s Bandra home early on Thursday morning and stabbed him six times before fleeing the place, shocking the film and political fraternity.


The chilling incident happened around 2 am when the burglar hopped onto a 7-8 feet tall boundary wall of an adjoining bungalow, entered the building compound, took the stairs to the royal Khan’s 11th floor residence in the posh ‘Satguru Sharan’, slipping past the building security guards, CCTVs and some private security personnel.


Though it is not clear how he managed to enter the Khan flat – police are probing a possible ‘inside’ hand – it is suspected that a woman employee may have let him inside.


There the duo ostensibly had an altercation in which the intruder attacked the woman who let out a scream, alerting Saif who was asleep in his bedroom and he darted outside to check on the commotion.

As per officials, Saif intervened to stop the intruder, who turned back and brutally pounced on him with a small knife.


In the ensuing scuffle, the thief ended up stabbing Saif multiple times, and also hit the maid before dashing away from there, even as other stunned Khan family members rushed out of their rooms.


Saif, 55, who suffered two serious wounds including one 10 cms long, two intermediate gashes and two abrasions on the neck and arms, was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital by his son in an auto rickshaw as their car was not ready for treatment and a surgery later in the morning.


Later in the evening, the police recovered a CCTV grab of the assailant who was sporting a dark t-shirt and trousers, a backpack and his face clearly visible, and some unconfirmed reports suggested that he was hiding in the flat for several hours.


Lilavati Hospital COO Dr. Niraj Uttamani and Dr. Nitin Dange said that the doctors extracted a piece of the knife blade which snapped and got embedded dangerously near the actor’s spine.

The surgery involved removing the knife piece of around 3 inches, stopping the leakage in the spinal fluid and conducting plastic surgery to repair the wounds.


Dr. Uttamani announced that the actor was safe, stable and recovering well, he was shifted to the ICU for one day’s observation after which the further course of treatment will be decided.


Zone IX Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam who rushed to the spot said that from preliminary investigations, the motive behind the murderous attack appeared to be robbery, but ruled out a mafia angle.

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