On 22 May 2026 a Bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R Mahadevan of the Supreme Court of India issued a sweeping set of binding directions to combat the chronic failure of the criminal justice system in tracing missing children and dismantling inter-state trafficking networks. The court was hearing a petition that highlighted that nearly 47,000 children continue to remain untraced across the country. Expressing strong displeasure the Bench observed How can we close our eyes when children are vanishing in such numbers and held that every missing child case must henceforth proceed on the legal presumption of kidnapping. The court directed every police station across India to compulsorily register a First Information Report under the Indian kidnapping provisions the moment any person or child is reported missing without insisting on prior preliminary inquiry or 24-hour waiting period. Where the initial probe discloses circumstances suggesting human trafficking the case must be transferred forthwith to the jurisdictional Anti-Human Trafficking Unit. The Bench further directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to construct a national data grid linking every police station through a specialised portal that integrates the existing TrackChild Khoya-Paya and CCTNS databases so that missing person records can be cross-matched in real time across state boundaries. All Directors General of Police and Union Territory police chiefs were ordered to make Anti-Human Trafficking Units fully operational with dedicated manpower training and budget. The court asked the Centre to file a compliance affidavit within six weeks listing district-wise AHTU strength portal architecture and Standard Operating Procedure issued to investigating officers.