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Over 800 people were reported missing in Delhi in the first 15 days of 2026. A majority of them were reported to be women and girls, official data from the police has revealed.
A total of 807 people went missing in the national capital from January 1 to 15, which is an average of 54 such cases per day. Of these, 509 were women and girls, and 298 were men.
Of the total cases, 191 were minors, while 616 were adults, as per the data. An average of 13 children went missing every day in the period, with girls accounting for 146 cases of the total 191 missing minors.
In the age group of eight to 12, 13 children went missing, including eight boys and five girls, with only three boys being found later.
Among the missing minors were 169 teenagers (12 to 18 years). Of these, 138 were teenage girls, and 31 were boys.
29 girls and 19 boys traced
The police have traced 29 girls and 19 boys, but nearly 71 per cent of adolescents (121) remain untraced, according to the data.
Among the 616 adults reported missing, 363 were women and 253 men. While the police were able to trace 90 men and 91 women, 435 people have yet to be located, the data showed.
In all, 235 missing persons have been traced, while the search for 572 still continues.
24,508 cases in 2025
From January 2025 to December 2025, a total of 24,508 people were reported missing in Delhi. As many as 14,870, or 60 per cent, were women. Men accounted for 9,638 cases. The police managed to trace 15,421 individuals, but 9,087 cases remain unresolved, the data revealed.
A decadal report (2016-2026) shows a rise in number of missing people every year.
Over the past decade, 2,32,737 people were reported missing in Delhi, with approximately 1.8 lakh individuals traced, but nearly 52,000 cases remain unresolved, according to Delhi police records.
The trend has shown a consistent rise year after year, with 2025 marking the highest number of missing women cases at 14,870.