New Delhi, Aug 26 - The Delhi High Court Wednesday observed that parents of missing children had a traumatic time going to the police station to follow up the case and suggested that they be provided legal assistance.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan said: 'It's a complete traumatic situation for the parents to go to the police station and file the missing complaints and then keep on following (it up) with no legal aid.'

'So there is an urgent need of having a legal assistance system so that cases pertaining to missing children can be dealt with utmost care,' the bench said. It asked the member secretary of the Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to appear before it Sep 16 and work out a plan for legal assistance.

The court also asked Delhi Police counsel Mukta Gupta to prepare a report on the children who returned to their homes after having gone missing for a few days.

'These statistics will help you (police) out in analysing the data and observe the trend,' the court said.

Meanwhile, the amicus curiae (friend of court) H.S. Phoolka submitted his report to the court and said: 'The police have failed to trace the kids who return home after they go missing.