'Paid Promotion': Delhi Police Debunk Missing Girls Scare, Say Hype Driven by 'Monetary Gains'

New Delhi: The Delhi police on Friday issued a statement confirming that the reports of a sudden surge in missing girls were paid promotion and stated strict action will be taken against those responsible for creating panic among citizens.

In a post on X, they wrote, 'After following a few leads, we discovered that the hype around the surge in missing girls in Delhi is being pushed through paid promotion.'

Further, they stated that creating fake hype and panic among citizens for financial gains was intolerable, and strict action would be taken against those individuals.

'Creating panic for monetary gains won't be tolerated, and we'll take strict action against such individuals,' they added.

“No Significant Surge”: Delhi Police

A day before, the Delhi Police also clarified that there has been "no significant surge" in missing people cases in the national capital.

The police said that in January 2026, the figure was 1,777 cases, as on average, around 2,000 people are reported missing each month in the national capital.

Delhi Police said the number of people reported missing in the national capital has remained largely stable over the past decade, with annual figures hovering between 23,000 and 24,000 since 2016, despite rapid population growth.

This clarification comes in the backdrop of reports of the disappearance of 807 people from Delhi in just 15 days, an average of nearly 54 people every day, which has raised serious questions about public safety and policing in the city.

Multiple influencers also reported this issue, quickly gaining traction on social media.

However, Delhi Police data shows that since 2016, a total of 180,805 missing persons have been traced and reunited with their families, reflecting a recovery rate of about 77 per cent.

Delhi police said the absence of an upward trend indicates the issue has not escalated over the years, though every disappearance remains a matter of concern.

Police attributed the recovery rate to initiatives such as Operation Milap and the use of technology, including AI-based facial recognition tools.

However, the data also highlights concerns, with the number of females yet to be traced rising from 1,606 in 2016 to 5,576 in 2025. In 2025, 9,087 out of 24,508 missing cases remained unresolved.

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