Pune: Pune Police have dismissed a viral social media claim that 123 girls were kidnapped in the city within 22 hours, saying their verification found no concrete record or evidence to support the allegation. A reel and an audio clip claiming that women were being abducted across Pune spread rapidly on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms. The posts created panic among residents, particularly parents and young women.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Gauhar Hasan said the Crime Branch and local police conducted a detailed verification after taking note of the viral claim. Police also contacted the person who recorded the audio and questioned people connected to the incident mentioned in the recording. “No truth was found in the claim. It is completely fake,” Hasan said in a video message to Pune residents.
Police verify viral audio and video
According to police, the viral message claimed that a woman riding a scooter was approached by another woman who asked her for help. After the woman refused, the other woman allegedly kicked her scooter and left. The message further claimed that when the woman approached a police station, she was told that 123 similar cases involving girls being kidnapped had been reported in the previous 22 hours.
Police investigated the incident described in the audio. They spoke to the woman who recorded the account and questioned residents, neighbours and representatives of the housing society concerned. The verification found no evidence supporting the claim that 123 girls had been kidnapped from Pune within 22 hours. Pune Police therefore described the viral reel and audio as baseless and factually incorrect.
The inquiry into the origin and circulation of the content is underway. Police said appropriate legal action would be taken if new information or evidence emerged.
Why the number 123 is being linked to kidnapping cases
The viral claim appears to have caused confusion over a recent Supreme Court direction concerning missing persons.
In May 2026, the Supreme Court directed police stations to immediately register a first information report (FIR) when they receive information about any person going missing. The FIR must include relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to kidnapping, abduction or trafficking. The court also stressed that police should not wait for a preliminary inquiry before beginning the tracing process.
In August, the Supreme Court clarified that the direction applies to every person, irrespective of age or gender, and not only to children. This means that registration of a kidnapping-related FIR after a person goes missing does not, by itself, establish that the person was forcibly kidnapped. A missing-person complaint and an actual abduction are not necessarily the same thing.
Police warn against panic
Pune Police said unverified social media messages can create unnecessary fear and confusion. Hasan appealed to citizens not to forward audio clips, reels or messages without checking their authenticity.
“If anyone faces any kind of trouble, please contact the police immediately. Call Dial 112,” Hasan said. Police also appealed to residents to use official and verified police channels for information about crime and public safety. Police said the safety of women and girls remains a priority and urged citizens to report genuine incidents or suspicious activity instead of relying on social media forwards.
No evidence of a mass kidnapping operation
The viral posts created an impression that a gang was systematically abducting women across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. However, police verification conducted so far has not found evidence of such a mass kidnapping operation.
Police asked citizens to remain alert but not to panic based on unverified information. The case also highlights how a genuine change in police procedure can be misunderstood when numbers from police records are presented on social media without context.
