SYLLABUS
GS-2: Government policies; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Human Resources.
GS-3: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security.
Context: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released the Crime in India 2024 and Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI) 2024 reports, highlighting an overall decline in crime rates but a sharp rise in cybercrimes, suicides linked to socio-economic distress, and drug overdose deaths.
About the Report
- The Crime in India report is an annual publication of the National Crime Records Bureau under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
- It compiles nationwide data on cognisable crimes registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Special & Local Laws (SLLs).
- The report provides detailed statistics on crimes against women, children, SCs/STs, cybercrimes, economic offences, juveniles, senior citizens, human trafficking, and offences against the state.
- Alongside it, the Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI) 2024 report presents data on suicides, accidental deaths, drug overdose deaths, and socio-economic patterns linked to mortality.
Key Findings of the Report
- Overall Crime Trends: A total of 58.85 lakh cognisable crimes were registered in 2024, marking a 6% decline from 62.41 lakh cases in 2023.
- The national crime rate declined from 448.3 to 418.9 cases per lakh population.
- IPC/BNS crimes constituted 60.2% of total crimes, while Special & Local Laws (SLL) cases accounted for 39.8%.
- Cyber Crimes: Cybercrime cases increased by 17.9%, rising from 86,420 cases in 2023 to 1,01,928 cases in 2024.
- Fraud was the dominant motive behind cybercrimes, accounting for 72.6% of total cases.
- Sexual exploitation and extortion were the next major categories.
- Crime Against Women: Crimes against women declined marginally by 1.5%, with 4.41 lakh cases recorded in 2024.
- “Cruelty by husband or relatives” remained the largest category, followed by kidnapping and assault with intent to outrage modesty.
- Telangana recorded the highest crime rate against women, while Delhi reported the highest number of such cases among metropolitan cities.
- Chandigarh recorded the highest rape crime rate in the country.
- Crimes Against Children: Crimes against children increased by 5.9%, reaching 1,87,702 cases.
- Kidnapping and abduction of children and offences under the POCSO Act formed the largest share.
- Missing children cases rose by 7.8%, with 98,375 children reported missing in 2024.
- SC/ST Atrocities: Crimes against Scheduled Castes declined by 3.6% to 55,698 cases.
- Crimes against Scheduled Tribes showed a sharper decline of 23.1%, with 9,966 cases recorded.
- Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of crimes against SCs, while Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of crimes against STs.
- Economic and Other Offences: Economic offences increased by 4.6%, reaching 2,14,379 cases, largely driven by cheating, forgery, and fraud.
- Offences against the state rose by 6.6%, with most cases registered under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the UAPA.
- Human trafficking cases declined marginally by 2.2%, though over 6,000 victims were reported trafficked.
- Juveniles and Senior Citizens: Cases involving juveniles in conflict with law increased by 11.2%, with most juveniles belonging to the 16–18 years age group.
- Crimes against senior citizens rose sharply by 16.9%, with theft and cheating/fraud being the leading offences.
Suicide and Drug Overdose Deaths (ADSI Report)
- India recorded 1,70,746 suicidesin 2024.
- Daily wage workers accounted for nearly 31% of suicides.
- The farming sector recorded 10,546 suicides, including farmers/cultivators and agricultural labourers.
- Student suicides stood at 14,488, while 22,113 housewives died by suicide.
- Deaths due to drug overdose increased by nearly 50%, rising from 650 in 2023 to 978 deaths in 2024.
- Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of drug overdose deaths.
