New Delhi, March 13 -- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports highlighting the increasing number of missing persons and the poor rate of tracing them across several states in the country.

The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, seeking a detailed report on the issue within two weeks.

According to reports, between 12,000 and 14,000 missing person cases have been registered every year in Bihar since 2013, many of them involving children. However, only about two-thirds of the missing children have been traced, raising concerns about their safety and possible exploitation.

The NHRC a...