Pune: A minor girl from Bagwan Nagar, Shirur city, went missing around 7:30 PM on July 20 after leaving her home with an unknown person. The incident occurred after the girl's mother discovered her chatting on Instagram and confronted her angrily.

According to the details, the mother and her daughter were alone at home when the mother saw her daughter engaged in a chat with an unknown boy on Instagram.

Upset by this, the mother scolded her daughter, who then, in a fit of rage, locked the door and left without informing anyone. It is suspected that someone took advantage of the girl's innocence and lured her away from her mother's legal guardianship.

The mother has lodged a complaint against an unknown individual, and the Shirur police station has registered a case.

The police are investigating the matter to trace the minor girl and identify the person who enticed her away.

On June 15, a 26-year-old social media influencer Mayuri Chaitanya Modak-Pawar, had reportedly gone missing from her residence in Pune. Mayuri has 1.3 million followers on Instagram. Police managed to trace Mayuri and she returned home after a few days.

In 2022, the NCRB reported that, on average, more than 172 girls went missing each day. NCRB data also reveals a dramatic 1000 per cent increase in annual reports of missing children from 2008 to 2022.

The notable prevalence of missing or abducted girls is partly linked to elopement, particularly among adolescents pursuing romantic relationships.

Many of these young women voluntarily leave their homes to enter into marriages of their choice, often in defiance of family objections or societal norms.

While some of these departures are consensual, others may involve coercion or manipulation, raising significant concerns about the safety and welfare of the individuals involved.