Delhi Sees Dip in Missing Persons Cases Despite Concerns

A recent decline in missing persons cases in Delhi has been reported for January 2026. Although numbers have stabilized over a decade, concerns remain with over 800 reported cases in two weeks. Delhi Police efforts, including AI-based technology, have aided in locating missing individuals with a 77% recovery rate.

Data from the national capital indicates a decline in missing persons cases for January 2026 compared to the previous year. The number of missing individuals in Delhi has remained relatively stable since 2016, hovering between 23,000 and 24,000 annually, despite the city's population growth. In January 2026, 1,777 cases were reported, compared to a monthly average of around 2,000, reflecting a continuous trend. Since 2016, Delhi Police have successfully traced and reunited 180,805 missing persons with their families, marking a recovery rate of approximately 77%.

Delhi Police assert that the absence of an increasing trend suggests the issue has not worsened over the years, although each case is a concern. Initiatives like Operation Milap and advanced technologies such as AI-based facial recognition tools aid in tracking down missing people.

However, concerns have been raised by AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who pointed out that 807 missing cases were reported in the first half of January 2026. In a post on X, Kejriwal highlighted that many of the missing are women and children, describing the situation as alarming. He criticized the BJP for failing to ensure safety despite holding power in Delhi, noting that the unprecedented low in 2020 was linked to pandemic lockdowns.