In an official statement, the Delhi Police said, “After following a few leads, we discovered that the hype around the surge in missing girls in Delhi is being pushed through paid promotion. Creating panic for monetary gains won't be tolerated, and we'll take strict action against such individuals.”
Data Contradicts Social Media Claims
Data shared by the police shows that the number of people reported missing in Delhi in January 2026 was proportionately lower than in previous years, contradicting claims of a recent spike. According to the figures, 1,777 people were reported missing in January this year, compared to monthly averages in previous years that were significantly higher. Delhi recorded 24,893 missing persons in 2024 and 24,508 in 2025.
The recent concerns were fueled by data from the first 15 days of January, which indicated an average of 54 missing-person reports per day.
Short-Term Absences Included in Data
The Delhi Police clarified that missing-person reports also include short-term absences, such as temporary loss of contact, and do not necessarily indicate long-term disappearances. Many cases are traced quickly but remain in official statistics because parents often do not update authorities after the person is found.
The police also highlighted that the city follows an online and app-based system for registering missing-person reports. Citizens frequently file reports as a precaution, for example, when children are delayed from school or individuals are temporarily unreachable over the phone.
Detection Rates and Global Comparison
According to the police, detection rates for missing persons tend to improve as investigations progress. Official data further shows that the number of missing persons reported in January 2026 is below the monthly average recorded since 2024.
Citing a report, Delhi Police noted that the capital’s missing-person rate is lower than international benchmarks. Delhi’s rate stands at approximately 122 per 100,000 population, compared to around 254 in London and across the UK, and about 138 in the United States.
