500+ Women Among 800 Missing: What’s Happening in Delhi?

February 4, 2026

A troubling trend in India’s capital has once again shaken public attention. In the first 15 days of 2026 alone, more than 800 people were reported missing from Delhi, and over 500 of them were women and girls, according to the latest data from Delhi Police — a figure that highlights deep concerns about safety, gender imbalance and unresolved disappearances in the city.

What Has Happened: The Latest Data

Between January 1 and January 15, 2026, Delhi Police recorded a total of 807 missing person cases. On average, that means about 54 people went missing every single day in the national capital during this two-week stretch — a pace that would alarm any city.

Of these:

• 509 were women and girls — making up nearly two-thirds of all cases.
• 298 were men.

Despite police efforts, only 235 individuals have been traced so far; meaning 572 people remain unaccounted for after more than two weeks.

These numbers are more than statistics — they are families waiting for answers.

Breakdown By Age Groups — Who Is Going Missing?

Minors / Children

Children and teenagers make up a significant portion of these cases, raising serious questions about child safety in the capital:

• 191 minors were reported missing in this period.
• Among them: 146 were girls and 45 were boys — a stark imbalance.
• Teenagers (12–18) formed the bulk of these minor cases — with 169 adolescents missing.
  • Out of these, 138 were teenage girls and 31 were teenage boys, and nearly 71% of these adolescents are still untraced.

Younger children also feature in the data:

• 13 children aged 8–12 were reported missing and only a fraction have been found.
• 9 children under eight were also reported missing, and many remain unlocated.

Adults

Adults continue to form the largest share of missing persons:

• 616 adults were reported missing in just 15 days.
• Of these, 363 were women and 253 were men.
• Police have located 181 adults, but 435 remain missing.

Is This A New Phenomenon? Not Really.

The early 2026 figures may be startling, but they reflect a long-standing pattern in Delhi’s missing persons statistics:

• In 2025, Delhi recorded about 24,500 missing persons for the year — one of the highest annual figures in recent memory.
• In that year too, women and girls accounted for more than 60% of the missing cases, showing this is not a one-time surge but a persistent reality.

Long-Term Trend

Looking at a broader window, data from the last decade shows:

• Over the past ten years, more than 2.3–2.5 lakh (230,000–250,000) people were reported missing in Delhi.
• Of them, over half — around 56% — were women and girls, reinforcing a decades-long gender imbalance.
• Around 50,000 to 60,000 cases remain unresolved to this day.

What Do These Numbers Mean?

1. Safety Concerns for Women and Girls

Women and girls continue to form a disproportionate share of missing persons, reflecting ongoing concerns about their safety in urban environments — whether due to social risks, trafficking, family disputes, economic pressures, or lack of secure public spaces.

2. High Risk for Teenagers

Teenage girls are especially vulnerable in the capital, both in terms of numbers and proportion of unresolved cases.

3. Many Cases Still Unresolved

Despite police tracking efforts, more than half of the missing persons from the first half of January 2026 remain untraced — a gap that underscores challenges in investigation, reporting, and tracking.

4. Systemic and Social Factors

The trend highlights that this is not merely about individual cases — it points to systemic issues affecting public safety, social mobility, law enforcement capacities, family structures, and community awareness.

Police Response

Delhi Police has said that efforts to locate missing people are ongoing, with special focus on vulnerable groups like women and children. Measures include coordination between districts and targeted tracing operations.

The latest data from Delhi — where hundreds go missing in just two weeks and women dominate the figures — serves as a stark reminder of an enduring and multifaceted social challenge. As authorities intensify tracing operations, the larger question remains: how can a city ensure safety, protection, and peace of mind for all its residents, especially its most vulnerable?