NEW DELHI: The national human rights commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of reports highlighting a sharp rise in missing persons cases in the national capital, after data released by Delhi Police showed that 807 people went missing in the first two weeks of January 2026. According to the data cited in the several reports, 191 of those reported missing were minors, while 616 were adults. Of the total cases registered during the period, 235 persons have been traced so far, leaving 572 individuals still unaccounted for, re[orted ANI.Taking note of the figures, the NHRC has issued notices to the chief secretary of the government of the national capital territory (NCT) of Delhi and the commissioner of police, Delhi, seeking a detailed report within two weeks. The Commission observed that the contents of the news report, if found to be correct, raise serious concerns of possible human rights violations and warrant closer scrutiny.The NHRC’s action follows a media report published on February 5, 2026, which flagged the scale of missing persons cases in the city. The report cited Delhi police data showing that a total of 24,508 people were reported missing in Delhi during 2025. Of these, nearly 60% were women. While police managed to trace 15,421 individuals last year, as many as 9,087 cases remain unresolved, according to the figures.The data also point to a persistent trend involving teenagers. Reports indicate that more than 5,000 teenagers have been going missing in Delhi every year since 2016, including around 3,500 girls annually, underscoring concerns around the safety of minors and young women.The Commission said it has sought a comprehensive report from the Delhi government and city police on the steps taken to trace missing persons and the additional measures being implemented to address the rising numbers.(With inputs from agencies)
