In view of growing number of minors getting involved in various offences, the Supreme Court today directed that a special officer be appointed in every police station across the country to deal with juveniles.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir also directed that the police must register FIR and conduct probe in every case of missing child and a unit of specially trained police officers be formed in each district to handle cases relating to juveniles.

It said that such officers would be in plain clothes and work in coordination with Child Welfare Committees. The Court passed the order on a PIL filed by an NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan alleging that for over 1.7 lakh children have gone missing in the country between January 2008-2010, many of whom were kidnapped for trafficking in flesh trade and child labour.