A 10-year-old girl who lived with her family on a Delhi footpath was allegedly kidnapped, raped and murdered on Monday, bringing renewed attention to the dangers faced by children growing up on the streets.
The child was reportedly sleeping beside her parents in Mehrauli, Delhi when she was taken away. Her body was later recovered and the accused was arrested by the police. This case has just uncovered a prolonged concern in the country. The question still is how safe are these children living on streets?
More than 20,000 children were identified as living on the streets in both 2021-22 and 2022-23, according to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. And the number declined sharply in 2023-24, falling to 3,466 children.
Most of these children were not living alone. In 2022-23, as many as 12,084 children were living on the streets with their families, while another 9,850 spent their days on the streets and returned at night to nearby slums or temporary settlements. Only around 1,000 children were found to be living on the streets without any family support.
But these statistics changed significantly in 2023-24. 1,558 children were identified as living on the streets with their families, 1,736 were spending their days on the streets and returning home at night, and 172 were living on the streets alone, taking the total to 3,466 children.
Older teenage girls account for most rape victims
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data shows that adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence. Among girl victims of rape, those aged 16-17 consistently accounted for the highest number of cases between 2020 and 2024.
In 2020, 1,471 victims belonged to this age group. The number increased to 1,772 in 2021 before declining in subsequent years. Even in 2024, 473 girls aged 16-17 were recorded as rape victims, compared with 252 girls aged 12-15, 52 girls aged 6-11 and 15 girls below six years.
Across all the five years, the 16-17 age group remained the largest category of victims, suggesting that older adolescent girls face a disproportionate share of sexual crimes against children.
Young children most affected by murder
The pattern is different when it comes to murder. Data on girl child murder victims show that the youngest children are often the most vulnerable. Girls below six years accounted for the highest number of murder victims in four of the five years between 2020 and 2024.
In 2024, 178 girls under six were murdered, compared with 169 girls aged 6-11, 153 girls aged 12-15 and 135 girls aged 16-17. Similar trends were visible in previous years, with the under-six age group consistently recording the highest number of victims.
Government’s steps
To identify and support vulnerable children, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) operates the Baal Swaraj-Children in Street Situations portal. The platform is used to identify children living on streets and connect them with rehabilitation services.
The government also provides support through open shelters, Child Care Institutions, sponsorship programmes and outreach services under child protection schemes. In addition, the SMILE scheme aims to rehabilitate vulnerable populations, including people living on the streets.
