Delhi Police on Thursday said there has been no significant increase in missing person cases in the national capital, even as the number of reported cases stood at 1,777 for the month of January.
The clarification came after reports claimed that as many as 807 people went missing in just 15 days — an average of nearly 54 cases per day — triggering concerns about public safety and policing in the city.
Police officials said that, on average, around 2,000 people are reported missing every month in Delhi, adding that the numbers have remained largely stable over the past decade. Annual figures have hovered between 23,000 and 24,000 since 2016, despite rapid population growth, they noted.
According to an ANI report citing police data, a total of 1,80,805 missing persons have been traced and reunited with their families since 2016, reflecting a recovery rate of about 77 per cent. Officials attributed this to initiatives such as Operation Milap and the use of technology, including AI-based facial recognition tools.
However, the data also points to a concerning trend: the number of females yet to be traced has risen sharply, from 1,606 in 2016 to 5,576 in 2025.
On Wednesday, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged the issue, citing media reports on the missing cases during the first 15 days of 2026 and questioning the city’s safety.
“The safety of people in the nation’s capital has been left to the mercy of God. The BJP has complete power at every level in Delhi, yet why has Delhi become so unsafe?” he said in a post on X.