New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday issued notice to Maharashtra for not taking seriously cases of children who go missing in Navi Mumbai. Nearly 600 children were reported missing from there each year.

"Notice has been issued to the state chief secretary and director general of police, Maharashtra and commissioner of police, Navi Mumbai, calling for reports in the matter within four weeks," an NHRC statement said Thursday.

"The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that 600 children go missing in Navi Mumbai every year, and the Navi Mumbai Police Department never takes the issue seriously, as it generally does not register FIRs about missing children," the statement said.

The commission said that hundreds of children who go missing are found begging near bus stands, railway stations, temples, markets and other public places, and the police had not registered a single case under the provisions of the Beggary Prevention Act in the last 10 years.