‘Missing Girls’ Reports Circulated To Promote ‘Mardaani 3’? Delhi Police Say Hype Around Disappearance Claims Due to ‘Paid Promotion’
The Delhi Police on Friday dismissed claims of a sudden surge in missing girls and children in the national capital, warning that misleading narratives were being amplified through paid promotions to create panic for monetary gains.
New Delhi, February 6: The Delhi Police on Friday dismissed claims of a sudden surge in missing girls and children in the national capital, warning that misleading narratives were being amplified through paid promotions to create panic for monetary gains.
In multiple posts on X over the past 24 hours, Delhi Police urged citizens not to fall for rumours suggesting an alarming rise in missing children cases. The police said that after tracking several leads, they found that the “hype” around missing girls was being artificially pushed online through sponsored content. This comes after social media users linked the reports to promotion of YRF film ‘Mardaani 3’. Delhi: Over 800 People Including Women and Girls Reported Missing in First 15 Days; 235 Successfully Traced.
Delhi Police Denies Surge In Missing Girls, Alleges Paid Film Promotion Behind Hype
Backing its claims with official data, Delhi Police said missing-person cases in the capital have remained largely stable over the last decade, with a 2 percent decline recorded in 2025, a trend that has continued into early 2026. In January 2026, the city reported 1,777 missing-person cases, lower than both the 2025 monthly average of 2,042 and January 2024’s figure of 1,786. Delhi Police Dismiss Rumours on Missing Children, Say January 2026 Numbers Lower Than Past Years.
Police also highlighted that Delhi’s per-capita missing-person rate stands at 122.5 per 1,00,000 population, which it claims is lower than comparable figures in countries such as the US and the UK. Since 2016, 1,80,805 missing persons have been traced, reflecting a cumulative recovery rate of around 77 percent.
Senior officers said higher reporting numbers should not be confused with permanent disappearances, noting that Delhi follows a digital-first reporting system where even short absences are promptly registered and many cases are resolved within hours.
The controversy gained traction on social media amid speculation that the narratives were linked to the promotion of Mardaani 3. Denying any involvement, a spokesperson for Yash Raj Films said the production house strongly rejects allegations that its promotional campaign sensationalised a sensitive issue and expressed trust in authorities to present the full facts.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 06, 2026 06:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).