Paid promotion behind claims of surge in missing girls in Delhi: police

Delhi Police on Friday said that recent claims about a surge in the number of missing girls in the national capital were being amplified through paid promotion and warned of strict action against those spreading panic for monetary gain.

The statement came after reports claimed that more than 800 people went missing in Delhi during the first 15 days of the year, with women and girls accounting for nearly two-thirds of the cases.

Police said they investigated the claims and found that the narrative of a sudden spike was being deliberately promoted.

“After following a few leads, we discovered that the hype around the surge in missing girls in Delhi is being pushed through paid promotion,” the Delhi Police said. “Creating panic for monetary gains will not be tolerated, and strict action will be taken.”

A day earlier, the police had said there was no need to panic over rumours about people, especially children, going missing. Authorities said the number of missing person cases had actually declined in the first 15 days of this year compared with the same period last year, according to PTI.

Official data cited by the news agency said that 807 people were reported missing between January 1 and 15. Of them, 509 were women and girls, and 298 were men. The data showed that 191 of the missing persons were minors, while 616 were adults. Police did not share comparative figures for the same period in 2025.

Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Tyagi said missing person reports could be filed at police stations, online platforms, or through ERSS 112, and that cases involving children were given priority. He also said no organised gang had been found to be linked to such cases and urged people not to believe misinformation.