'Missing Girls Hype Due To Paid Promotion': Delhi Police Warns Of Action

The panic over a surge in missing persons in Delhi was a result of promotional tactics, police have said, amid public concern over claims that 807 people had gone missing in January's first 15 days. Delhi Police has also warned of strict action against those spreading panic for financial gains.

There is evidence suggesting that the missing figures were fabricated for propaganda purposes, to spread panic, and for personal gain, the 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.

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) February 6, 2026

"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," Delhi Police said in an online post.

Read: No Surge In Missing Persons Cases, Says Delhi Police

Sources suggest that the claims emerged from a film promotion on missing children, with several internet theories also backing the claim and calling out "cheap marketing tactics."

Several influencers and political leaders had picked up the claim and started raising questions, causing panic among people.

Former chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal called it "alarming" and targeted the BJP government that dethroned him.

"In just 15 days in Delhi, 807 people have gone missing, with the majority being women and children. These circumstances are not normal; they are extremely alarming. The safety of people in the country's capital has been left to the mercy of God. The BJP holds complete power at every level in Delhi, yet why is Delhi so unsafe?" Kejriwal said on Wednesday.

What Missing-Persons Data Show

The police said that 1,777 missing cases were reported in January, which was lower than the monthly average as well as the year-ago month. In comparison, 24,508 missing cases were recorded in 2025, or an average of 2,042 cases per month.

Therefore, the January figure was "proportionately lower", police said, indicating there is no emerging trend in missing cases.

The annual missing figures have been around 23,000-24,000, showed police data since 2016, despite a population boom in the capital.

The detection of missing persons is time-dependent and cumulative, police further stressed, crediting initiatives such as 'Operation Milap' and the use of AI-based tools for recoveries in such cases.

Data showed that around 1,80,805 missing persons were reunited with their families between 2016-2025. This reflected an overall recovery rate of 77 per cent.

Delhi Police has an open and accessible reporting system, using which missing-person complaints can be filed online.

However, despite easy reporting and efficient recovery tools, the unsolved cases remain a cause of concern. Between 2016 and 2025, the number of females yet to be traced by the police has risen from 1,606 to 5,576.