Are Human Trafficking Gangs Behind Missing Persons in Himachal? 11,636 People Vanished in 7 Years

Una, August 21

Retired Army Intelligence officer Manoj Kaushal made a sensational claim during a press conference at the Circuit House on Thursday, alleging that an organized human organ trafficking network is behind the alarming number of people reported missing in Himachal Pradesh. He said the network has links extending into Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district.

Kaushal revealed that between 2018 and 2025, as many as 11,636 people have gone missing from seven districts of the state, the majority of them women. He alleged that women are considered the easiest targets—often abducted under the pretext of being asked for directions and forced into vehicles—before being used in illegal organ trafficking. He also shared a personal account, stating that his sister-in-law mysteriously disappeared in 2018 and has not been traced to this day.

Calling for a thorough and impartial investigation by both the police and the state government, Kaushal stressed that uncovering the truth behind these disappearances is crucial to bringing those responsible to justice. He claimed that he had provided senior police officials with credible information and evidence on multiple occasions, yet no detailed investigation was ever pursued.

According to him, most abductions occur in districts bordering Punjab, particularly Kangra, Una, and Baddi in Solan. However, such incidents have also been reported in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, and Chamba, indicating the widespread reach of these criminal networks.