The rising number of missing persons in the national capital, Delhi, has raised serious concerns over the safety of women and children. Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) National Secretary Atika Sajid has expressed deep anger and concern over more than 800 people reported missing from Delhi in the first fifteen days of January 2026, calling it a clear case of administrative failure and a grave lapse in citizen security.

In a statement issued by the SDPI, the party highlighted that women and girls constitute an alarmingly high proportion of the missing cases. Nearly two-thirds of the total cases—509 women and girls—fall into this category. An average of 54 people going missing every day presents a grim picture of law and order in the capital. Among the missing are 191 minors, including 146 girls, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of women and children.

Although authorities have traced 235 individuals so far, as many as 572 people remain missing. Atika Sajid said that behind these statistics lie the pain, helplessness, and uncertainty of hundreds of families, which cannot be ignored.

The SDPI clarified that this crisis is not an isolated incident but part of a dangerous trend that has continued over the past decade. According to the party, nearly 230,000 missing-person reports have been registered in Delhi over the last ten years, of which around 52,000 cases remain unresolved. In 2025 alone, more than 24,500 people were reported missing, with women accounting for over 60 percent of the cases.

Data further indicates that a total of 1,777 missing cases were registered in January 2026. While this figure is slightly lower than the average of around 2,000 cases reported each month, the SDPI stressed that when human lives are at stake, no number can be considered insignificant. The situation is reported to be particularly alarming in districts such as Outer North Delhi, where social and economic neglect has further aggravated the crisis.

Atika Sajid strongly condemned what she described as the government and administration’s “continued apathy” toward the safety of women and children. She asserted that citizen security cannot be sacrificed to political interests or administrative inertia. The SDPI has demanded immediate judicial oversight, strengthened surveillance mechanisms in high-risk areas, and effective inter-state coordination to dismantle human trafficking networks.

The party also urged the government to immediately implement community-based awareness programmes, rapid response mechanisms, and victim protection systems. Reiterating its commitment to justice, equality, and the protection of constitutional rights, the SDPI called for a united national initiative against the growing missing-persons crisis, warning that it poses a serious threat to the country’s democratic fabric.