UP Police Now Claims 80% Missing Persons Traced Since 2024; Allahabad HC Notes Previous 'Shocking' Data Was Miscommunicated

The Uttar Pradesh Police, in fresh data submitted before the Allahabad High Court, has claimed that between January 1, 2024, and March 17, 2026, a total of 1,19,070 persons went missing in the state, out of which 95,061 (79.84%) have been successfully traced. Taking this updated data into account, a Division Bench noted that earlier figures, which suggested the UP Police took action in a mere 9,700 out of over one lakh missing person cases, were prima facie not properly communicated to the Court. A Bench of Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Zafeer Ahmad is presently hearing the suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled In Re - Missing Persons in the State. During the hearing on March 24, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna appeared virtually to assist the Court. The bench was apprised of the district-wise data enclosed in their personal affidavits, which reflected the nearly 80% tracing rate. Taking note of the fresh submissions, the bench remarked: "Keeping in view the aforesaid data, prima facie, it appears that in para-10 of the order dated 29.01.2026 passed in Criminal Misc. Writ Petition No.11291 of 2025, Vikrama Prasad Vs. State of U.P. and 3 Others, the data, which has been referred, has not properly been communicated to this Court".The issue came to light in January this year when a different division bench expressed dismay at the UP Government's apparent admission that it had acted on fewer than 9% of missing person complaints. That earlier bench was hearing a writ petition filed by a father whose son went missing from Lucknow in July 2024. During those proceedings, the Court was presented with limited CCTNS data from the Police Technical Services Headquarters, indicating that between January 2024 and January 2026, approximately 1,08,300 missing person registrations were made, but action was recorded in only about 9,700 cases.Relying on those initial figures, the previous bench had termed the data 'shocking' and stated it was "aghast" at the authorities' apparent lackadaisical attitude.Read more about the order passed in January 2025 : Data Reveals UP Police Acted On Less Than 9% Of 1.08 Lakh Missing Person Complaints Since 2024: 'Aghast' High Court Registers PILConsequently, the Court registered the present suo motu PIL, noting a total lack of seriousness on the part of the state government. Addressing the concerns of the HC, the DGP's new counter-affidavit stated that the tracing and safe return of missing persons remains the UP Police's foremost priority. To substantiate the established mechanism, the DGP placed on record 11 distinct circulars and instructions issued by the police headquarters between 2013 and February 2026. Both the Additional Chief Secretary and the DGP assured the High Court that the police authorities are trying their level best to trace the locations of the remaining missing persons. Accepting the personal affidavits on record, the Court granted advocates Onkar Pandey and Anand Kumar Singh, appearing for the petitioners, ten days to file a rejoinder. The matter has been listed for its next hearing on April 15.

UP Police Now Claims 80% Missing Persons Traced Since 2024; Allahabad HC Notes Previous 'Shocking' Data Was Miscommunicated

Sparsh Upadhyay

Tags