IPS officer Simala Prasad sensitively addresses the issue of Missing Girls in her new book

The book “She Goes Missing” by IPS officer Simala Prasad is a powerful and timely work that brings the long-neglected crisis of missing girls into sharp and unflinching focus. With a rare blend of administrative insight, social sensitivity, and lived experience, the author illuminates one of the most urgent human rights concerns of our times.

What makes this book truly stand out is its ability to treat the issue not as a statistical problem but as a human story—one that is layered, complex, and deeply tied to our social structures. Each chapter meticulously unpacks the stereotypes, institutional gaps, and socio-psychological realities that shape the experiences of minor girls who go missing. Rather than reducing these cases to mere “elopements” or “runaways,” the author reveals the profound vulnerabilities that place young girls at risk—vulnerabilities rooted in unequal socialization, patriarchal norms, and systemic apathy.

The book succeeds not only in diagnosing the problem but in bringing forward its gravity with unwavering clarity. Grounded in real cases, legal frameworks, and compassionate storytelling, it compels readers—citizens, policymakers, and police personnel alike—to confront uncomfortable truths. The author’s insistence on seeing the human being behind every file, every FIR, and every missing-person report is the book’s greatest strength.

The discussion on rehabilitation, too often an afterthought in mainstream discourse, is handled with immense care. It highlights the long journey from rescue to reintegration, urging society to extend its responsibility far beyond recovery.

Above all, the book is a call to conscience. It urges us to break the bubble of stereotypes, to look beyond convenient narratives, and to respond with humanity, sensitivity, and resolve. The problem has not just been adequately brought forward—it has been illuminated with a depth and honesty that is rare and necessary.

This is not just a book; it is a reminder that behind every missing girl is a story that deserves to be heard, a life that must be protected, and a society that must do better. A must-read for anyone who believes in justice, equality, and the transformative power of truth.

Book: She goes missing
Writer: Simala Prasad, IPS
Price: Still Pending
Publisher: OM books international