Missing Children Reports Spark Panic In Noida; School Attendance Drops, Parents Reschedule Work

Last Updated:February 16, 2026, 13:26 IST

Rumours of child abductions have triggered widespread panic across several Noida areas, forcing families to change daily routines, reports have claimed.

Several areas in Noida have been gripped by fear following the rapid spread of rumours claiming children are being abducted, prompting families to alter daily routines despite repeated assurances from police that no such incidents have been reported.

According to a report by Money Control, anxiety, fuelled largely by social media forwards and neighbourhood conversations, has significantly disrupted normal life in many localities.

The rumours, which suggested that children, particularly girls, were going missing, have led to parents withdrawing children from schools, women quitting jobs, and residents limiting outdoor movement.

Authorities have clarified that there is no evidence supporting the claims, but the fear generated by unverified messages continues to influence behaviour on the ground.

Residents say the panic has forced difficult personal decisions.

Guddi, a resident of Sarfabad village, quit two cooking jobs so she could return home early each day to ensure her six-year-old son’s safety while coming back from school.

“Once children leave the school gate, the school authorities say that they are not responsible. That scared many of us. We can’t take chances," she was quoted as saying by The Times Of India.

Her concerns were echoed across nearby villages, where parents have rearranged work schedules or temporarily stopped sending children to school.

Another domestic worker from Sarfabad told reporters that families now rush home daily to be with their children, adding, “Even if this turns out to be false, the fear is real."

Senior police officials told Money Control that no complaints or verified reports of child abduction have been received and suggested the panic may have originated from misleading social media posts circulated in January about girls allegedly going missing in Delhi.

“These appear to be hoaxes, possibly triggered by misleading social media messages," a senior officer said, urging residents not to spread unverified information.

The situation comes even as Delhi Police had earlier issued a public clarification addressing similar fears.

Delhi Police PRO Sanjay Tyagi had stated that there was “no need to fear or panic" regarding missing persons, especially children, noting that January 2026 recorded fewer missing-person cases compared to the same period last year.

He also said no organised gang involvement had been found in cases relating to missing children or kidnappings and warned that action would be taken against those spreading rumours.

Delhi Police officials further explained that many traced cases involve children leaving home voluntarily due to personal reasons, academic pressure, or influence from social media rather than abduction.

Dedicated missing-person squads and Anti-Human Trafficking Units continue to prioritise tracing such cases.

Meanwhile, non-profit organisations working in Noida villages have reported disruptions caused by the rumours.

Mala Bhandari, founder of a local NGO, was quoted as saying that attendance at centres in Nagla, Tugalpur and Haldoni dropped sharply after parents stopped sending children.

Field visits conducted by volunteers found no evidence of any abduction incidents.

Schools have also felt the impact. A teacher in Harola village said student attendance declined as rumours intensified, though follow-ups revealed no confirmed cases.

Some institutions have introduced precautionary measures, including consent forms specifying authorised guardians and pickup arrangements, to reassure parents, the report claimed.

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