Kheri police reunites 144 missing women and persons with their families during May recovery drive

LUCKNOW: For many families in Lakhimpur Kheri, the month of May ended with relief, reunions and emotional homecomings as Kheri Police traced and safely recovered 144 kidnapped women, girls and missing persons during a special district-wide recovery campaign conducted under the supervision of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Khyati Garg.

The campaign, launched across all police stations in the district, focused on locating women, girls and other missing persons whose disappearance had been reported in registered cases. Police teams carried out extensive field searches, analysed technical evidence, tracked mobile phone locations, questioned suspects and coordinated with police units in other districts to trace the missing individuals.

The month-long effort resulted in the recovery of 113 kidnapped women/victims and 31 missing persons, all of whom were reunited with their families after the completion of legal formalities.

What makes the figures significant, police officials said, is that many of the cases did not involve hardened criminals or organised kidnapping gangs. Instead, a large number of girls and young women had left home following family disputes, emotional distress, anger, or issues related to personal relationships and love affairs.

“Many girls leave home after arguments with family members or due to relationship-related issues. Such cases are extremely sensitive and every passing day increases the anxiety of parents. We personally monitor these cases and ensure that police teams act swiftly so that recoveries are made at the earliest,” SSP Khyati Garg said.

She added that police treat every missing woman or child case with urgency, irrespective of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance. “For us, the priority is the safe return of the individual and restoring them to their families,” she said.

The highest number of recoveries was reported from Dhaurahara Circle (26), followed by Gola (21), Sadar (20), Mitauli (17), Nighasan (11), Mohammadi (11) and Palia (7).

ADG, Lucknow Zone, Praveen Kumar, said the campaign reflects Kheri Police’s continued focus on women’s safety, child protection and prompt intervention in missing-person cases, with senior officers regularly reviewing investigations to ensure timely recoveries and family reunions.