Shillong, Oct 12: Police continued the search for another missing girl in Umpling in the city.
President of Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress Joplyn Shylla has criticised the government for frequent criminal incidents involving minors.
As another 14-year-old girl has gone missing adding to a disturbing pattern of child disappearances and deaths in Meghalaya in recent months. The latest case has prompted strong condemnation from the Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress, which has openly questioned the state government’s failure to address what it calls a “growing humanitarian crisis.”
According to local residents and initial reports, the teenager went missing since 4 pm on October 12.
Authorities have yet to release any concrete information, leaving the family and community in a state of shock, fear, and helplessness, she said.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress, in a press briefing on Saturday had accused the state government of turning a blind eye to the alarming trend of missing and murdered children in the region.
“Is this government so insensitive that it can ignore repeated incidents of children disappearing and being found murdered? How many more lives have to be lost before they act?” asked Shylla.
She said the government’s failure to acknowledge and respond to these disappearances reflects a “shocking level of indifference,” especially in a state where child protection laws and women’s safety measures are supposed to be in place.
A pattern of neglect
This latest incident is not an isolated one. Over the past year, multiple reports have emerged from different parts of Meghalaya involving missing minors particularly girls. While some were eventually found, others tragically turned up dead, often in mysterious and disturbing circumstances.
Despite public protests, social media campaigns, and appeals from civil society groups, many of these cases remain unsolved. Critics argue that police investigations have been slow, uncoordinated, and often lack transparency, Shylla said.
“The families of these children deserve justice. They deserve answers. What we are seeing instead is silence, denial, and a complete lack of accountability from those in power,” the President of the Mahila Congress said in her statement.
Public Safety Under Question
The president of the Mahila Congress also questioned effectiveness of current child safety policies, police patrolling, and the role of the Women and Child Development Department.
“Where is the Chief Minister when children are being taken from our communities? Why hasn’t a single high-level task force been formed? Why are these cases not being treated with the seriousness they deserve?” she said
The Mahila Congress has demanded the immediate formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into all recent cases of missing minors in the state.
A call for action
Families and concerned citizens have echoed these sentiments, taking to the streets in search of the missing girl.
In the meantime, residents of Shillong remain on edge, with many parents afraid to let their children out of their sight.
As the state grapples with growing unrest and fear, the question remains: how many more children must vanish before decisive action is taken?, she said
