'Girls going missing in Delhi': Viral posts are hoax
Social media went wild on February 6 with scary posts about a sudden rise in missing girls in Delhi.
But Delhi Police quickly set the record straight—those viral claims were actually part of a paid promotion scheme designed to stir up panic and profit from clicks.
The whole episode has people questioning how much we can trust alarming news online.
Are there really that many missing people?
Official stats for January 1-15, 2026 show 807 missing persons cases in Delhi: 509 women/girls and 298 men, including 191 minors (mostly teen girls).
While only 235 of those have been traced so far, police say the full month of January 2026 recorded 1,777 missing cases and that this was lower than recent monthly averages—so no sudden spike here.
Police promise strict action against those spreading hoaxes
Delhi Police are cracking down on those spreading false stories online, promising strict legal action against anyone found promoting these hoaxes.
They also reassured everyone that every missing person case gets immediate attention, especially when kids are involved.