Ballari: Ballari police have traced 366 of 385 children reported missing or abducted in the district between 2020 and Sept 30-2026, while 19 remain missing.
At a special task force meeting, Ballari SP Dr Suman D Pennekar directed officers to prioritise pending cases and use CCTV footage, mobile-location tracking, facial-recognition technology and AI-based software to trace children whose appearance may have changed. She ordered mandatory cross-verification of unidentified bodies and unnatural-death cases, particularly those registered at police stations downstream of canals and dams, against missing children’s records. Investigators cited the absence of Aadhaar details in several cases and changes in children’s facial features as major challenges. Pennekar asked officers to maintain regular contact with families and monitor old and fresh cases. District Legal Services Authority member secretary and senior civil judge Rajesh N Hosamane called for easily understandable awareness material on child marriage, POCSO Act , drugs, cyber fraud and women’s safety. He urged district child protection unit, special juvenile police unit and ‘Akka Pade’ personnel to hold regular awareness programmes in schools, colleges and public places.