New Delhi: There was an important 15% reduction in the number of criminal cases registered across the country in 2024, based on the latest NCRB report that was published on Wednesday. Even though there has been a drop in numbers, Delhi continues to occupy the top rank in all kinds of violent crimes among India’s 19 metropolitan cities.
Registrations under the Indian Penal Code and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the new code that replaced it, came down to around 275,000 in 2024. This is significantly lower than the 324,000 registrations made in 2023. This year marked the first year of registrations of data under the new penal code, after its launch on July 1, 2024.
The government cited the change in registration due to changes in categorization under the new penal code wherein many cases of hurt were made non-cognizable.
Key Facts to Note
While the aggregate numbers fell, the “intensity” of crime remains high. Delhi’s standing among the 19 major metro cities remains unchanged, with the capital topping the charts in:
- Murder: 504 cases recorded in 2024 (down slightly from 506). For comparison, Bengaluru followed with 176 cases.
- Kidnapping & Abduction: 5,580 cases, dwarfing Mumbai (1,854) and Bengaluru (1,215).
- Crimes Against Women: With 13,396 cases, Delhi remains the most unsafe metro for women. The city recorded 1,058 rape cases—more than double the numbers in Jaipur or Mumbai.
- Theft: Accounting for 73.3% of all theft cases across India’s metros, Delhi saw roughly 496 thefts reported every single day.
With a grim outlook for the youth of the city, Delhi also topped the charts for crimes against children (7,662 cases), and juvenile crimes. Theft and snatching cases involving property continue to be the main issues in terms of criminal activity affecting the residents of the city.
As mentioned by police authorities, although the higher figures indicate the ‘grim reality,’ it also signifies that there is greater documentation in the capital city than in other cities. However, with lower chargesheets in crimes such as kidnapping (8.5%) cases, the long path to justice awaits the citizens of the city.
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