Someone is missing — child or adult — first-hour steps
Act at once — the first hours matter. There is no legal rule that you must wait 24 hours before reporting someone missing.
🚨 Call 112 now, and 1098 if a child is missing or found alone. If you suspect kidnapping or the person is in danger, say so clearly to the police.
Helplines for this situation
- 112Call
Emergency — police, fire, ambulance
Any immediate danger to life, violence, crime in progress, medical emergency. Works across all States/UTs (ERSS).
24×7 · also via the ‘112 India’ app / SMS · Official source
- 1098Call
Child Helpline
A child in danger, missing, found alone, abused or in need of care and protection. Integrated with 112.
24×7×365 · Official source
- 14567Call
Elderline — senior citizens
Senior citizens facing abuse, neglect, maintenance or pension problems; field help for rescue and reunion of homeless elders.
8 AM – 8 PM, all days · Official source
- 14416Call
Tele-MANAS mental health support
Free mental-health counselling after a traumatic event — violence, fraud, arrest of a family member, a missing loved one.
Toll-free · Official source
⏱ First-hour steps
Quick checks, in parallel
Call their phone, close friends, school/college/workplace, nearby hospitals; check places they usually go. Ask someone to stay at home in case they return or call.
Report to police immediately
Call 112 and go to the nearest police station. For a missing child, the Supreme Court (Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India, 2013) directed that every complaint be registered as an FIR and investigated at once, presuming abduction or trafficking unless shown otherwise. Any police station can register a Zero FIR and transfer it (BNSS s.173).
Give police what helps them search
A recent clear photo, height/build, clothes last worn, identifying marks, phone number and handset details (IMEI if you have it), social-media accounts, last-seen place and time, medical conditions and medicines.
For a child: also use 1098 and the Mission Vatsalya portal
1098 (Child Helpline, integrated with 112) and the Mission Vatsalya portal’s citizen corner (Khoya-Paya) let you report a missing or sighted child; police match FIRs of missing children through TrackChild.
For an elderly person
Call 112 and the police; Elderline 14567 (8 AM–8 PM) can support rescue and reunion of homeless or wandering senior citizens.
Share carefully
Share the photo and police contact on social media only with the FIR/DD number and a police phone number. Report any ransom or ‘we have them’ call to police immediately — do not pay on your own.
📁 Documents & evidence to keep
- Recent photographs (face and full-length)
- ID proof copies (Aadhaar, school/college/work ID) of the missing person
- Mobile number, handset make and IMEI, email and social-media IDs
- List of friends/contacts and places they frequent
- Medical conditions, prescriptions; FIR / DD entry number and investigating officer’s phone
⛔ Avoid
- Waiting overnight ‘to see if they come back’
- Paying anyone who claims to have the person without informing police
- Sharing the child’s full details publicly without police advice
⚖️ The law in brief
Kidnapping, abduction and trafficking are serious offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (earlier IPC). If you found a lost child, take them to the nearest police station or call 1098/112 — do not hand them over to anyone who cannot prove identity. If police do not register your complaint, you can approach the Superintendent of Police (BNSS s.173(4)) or the Magistrate.
🏛 Official portals
When the immediate danger has passed
Ask Adhiwakta to get general guidance from an independent advocate on next steps, or start with the free AI helper to organise your facts. This is not an emergency channel.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to wait 24 hours before reporting a missing person in India?
- No. There is no legal waiting period. Call 112 and go to the police station immediately. For a missing child, the Supreme Court has directed that every complaint be registered as an FIR and investigated without delay.
- Where can I report a missing child online?
- Call 1098 (Child Helpline, linked with 112) and report on the Mission Vatsalya portal’s citizen corner (Khoya-Paya), in addition to the police FIR.
- Can Adhiwakta search for a missing person?
- No. Adhiwakta is not police or an emergency service. Report to 112 and the police first. If police do not act, you can Ask Adhiwakta for general guidance from an independent advocate on the legal options.