In just the first 15 days of 2026, Delhi recorded over 807 missing persons cases, with around 500 women and girls making up nearly two-thirds of those reported, according to Delhi Police data cited by PTI.
While 235 people have been traced, 572 remain missing, raising serious concerns about women’s safety, child protection, and the effectiveness of tracing mechanisms in the national capital.
The year has begun on a deeply unsettling note for Delhi. Police data shows that between January 1 and January 15, an average of 54 people went missing every single day. Of the total 807 cases, 509 involved women and girls, while 298 were men, exposing a stark gender imbalance that has once again put women’s safety under the spotlight.
Even more alarming is the number of children involved. 191 of those reported missing were minors, including 146 girls and 45 boys. Teenage girls formed the largest group within this category, reinforcing long-standing concerns around vulnerabilities faced by young women in urban spaces.
Despite ongoing search operations, police records indicate that nearly 71% of missing adolescents are still untraced, leaving families in prolonged uncertainty and distress.
What the Numbers Reveal
Officials have stated that tracing efforts are underway and that cases involving women and children are prioritised. However, the data reveals a persistent gap between reporting and resolution. With only 235 individuals traced so far, more than seven out of ten missing persons remain unaccounted for, at least in the early weeks of the year.
Experts say that missing persons cases are rarely driven by a single factor. Rights groups point to a mix of inter-state migration, online grooming and exploitation, domestic distress, economic hardship, trafficking networks, and unsafe public infrastructure as contributors. The increasing role of social media and digital platforms in luring or misleading minors has also emerged as a growing concern.
A Pattern, Not an Anomaly
This spike is not an isolated incident. In 2025, Delhi recorded over 24,500 missing persons cases, with women forming more than 60% of those reported. A significant portion of these cases remained unresolved for months, and in some instances, years.
While police officials maintain that many missing persons cases eventually involve individuals returning voluntarily, activists argue that this explanation risks downplaying genuine safety threats, particularly for women, children, and migrants who lack social or institutional support.
Why This Should Worry Us All
Behind every statistic is a person, a student who never returned home, a worker who vanished without a trace, a family left searching hospitals, shelters, and police stations. The scale and persistence of these numbers point to systemic shortcomings, from slow inter-state coordination to limited community-level prevention and awareness.
Public safety experts stress that reactive policing alone is not enough. What’s needed is a stronger ecosystem that combines prevention, rapid response, survivor support, and accountability.
How Can People Stay Safer?
While the responsibility for safety lies primarily with institutions, individuals and communities can take certain precautions:
For Women and Young People
- Share live location with trusted contacts when travelling, especially at night
- Avoid meeting unknown online contacts alone; verify identities and meet in public spaces
- Keep emergency numbers saved and accessible
- Trust instincts – discomfort is often an early warning sign
For Parents and Guardians
- Maintain open communication with children about online interactions
- Educate teens about grooming, coercion, and digital safety
- Ensure children know how to seek help if they feel unsafe
For Communities
- Encourage neighbourhood watch groups and community reporting
- Support families of missing persons instead of stigmatising them
- Demand better lighting, CCTV coverage, and public transport safety
In Case Someone Goes Missing
- File an FIR immediately – no waiting period is required
- Share verified information with police, not rumours on social media
- Contact NGOs and child protection services for additional support
Also Read: Unsafe Hoardings Across Cities: Here’s How To Get Them Removed as Per The Law
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
These figures are not just a data point, they are a mirror held up to our society. A city that aspires to be safe, inclusive, and just must do more than count the missing; it must prevent disappearances, respond faster, and support families better.
Ensuring safety is not only a law-and-order issue, it is a test of empathy, governance, and collective responsibility.
