The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a disturbing surge in missing persons cases in Delhi, where 807 individuals disappeared during the first two weeks of January 2026. According to Delhi Police data, only 235 people have been traced so far, leaving 572 still missing, raising serious concerns over public safety and human rights protection.
Among the missing are 191 minors and 616 adults, highlighting the vulnerability of both children and grown-ups in the capital. Observing the gravity of the situation, the Commission stated that if the reported facts are accurate, the matter constitutes a serious violation of human rights.
In a decisive step toward accountability, the NHRC has issued notices to the Chief Secretary of Delhi and the Commissioner of Police, directing them to submit a detailed action-taken report within two weeks. The Commission is seeking clarity on investigation progress, recovery efforts, and preventive mechanisms to curb the rising trend of disappearances.
The concern deepens when viewed against broader data. As per media reports published on 5 February 2026, 24,508 people went missing in Delhi in 2025, of which nearly 60% were women. Police managed to trace 15,421 individuals, but 9,087 cases remain unresolved. Long-term trends indicate that over 5,000 minors have been reported missing every year since 2016, including approximately 3,500 girls annually.
The NHRC’s intervention is expected to push systemic corrective measures, strengthen investigation frameworks, and improve missing-person recovery outcomes, while placing institutional responsibility on authorities to ensure citizen safety and rights protection.
