NCRB Report on Crimes

Context:

Recently, The Crime in India, 2024 report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) presents a mixed picture of crime trends in the country.
India recorded a total of 58.86 lakh cognisable crimes in 2024, marking a 6% decline compared to 2023. Of these, 35.44 lakh cases were registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), while 23.41 lakh were under special and local laws.

While the overall incidence of cognisable crimes has declined, certain categories such as cybercrime, drug overdose deaths, and offences against the State have shown a rising trend, highlighting emerging challenges in internal security and public safety.

Key Points of NCRB Report:

·         Rise in Cybercrime: Despite an overall decline in crime rates, cybercrime cases increased by 17.9%. More than 1.01 lakh cases were registered in 2024, of which nearly 72.6% were related to financial fraud.

·         Crimes Against Women and Children: Crimes against women witnessed a marginal decline of 1.5% (4.41 lakh cases). However, crimes against children increased by 5.9%, with kidnapping and sexual offences constituting the highest share.

·         Crimes Against Senior Citizens and Economic Offences: Crimes against senior citizens recorded an alarming increase of 16.9%. Economic offences also rose by 4.6%.

·         Crimes Against SCs/STs: Crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) declined by 3.6%, while crimes against Scheduled Tribes (STs) registered a significant decline of 23.1%.

·         Murder and Riots: Murder cases declined by 2.4% (total 27,049 cases), with interpersonal disputes remaining the primary cause. Crimes classified as “Offences Against the State” increased by 6.6%.

Other Crime Trends:

• • • The report also highlighted a 6.6% rise in offences against the State, with 5,194 cases in 2024 compared to 4,873 in 2023. A majority of these cases were registered under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (84.6%), followed by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (12.5%), reflecting continued internal security challenges.
    • On the social justice front, crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) declined by 3.6%, while crimes against Scheduled Tribes (STs) fell significantly by 23.1%, suggesting regional variations in reporting and enforcement.

Suicide and Drug Overdose Trends:

• • • The Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI), 2024 report recorded 1,70,746 suicides, with significant representation from farmers, daily wage workers, unemployed individuals, students, and homemakers.
    • A concerning trend is the 50% rise in drug overdose deaths, which increased from 650 in 2023 to 978 in 2024. Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of such deaths (313), followed by Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Mizoram, indicating regional clustering of substance abuse-related fatalities.

Significance of the report:

The NCRB data reflects a structural shift in India’s crime profile, where traditional crimes show a decline, but technology-driven crimes and substance abuse-related deaths are rising sharply. This underscores the need for strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure, digital literacy, and drug prevention mechanisms, alongside conventional policing reforms.

Way Forward:

• • • Strengthening cyber policing units and forensic capabilities
    • Enhancing inter-agency coordination for cyber fraud tracking
    • Expanding mental health and suicide prevention frameworks
    • Tackling drug abuse through targeted rehabilitation and enforcement
    • Improving data-driven policing using NCRB analytics

Conclusion:

The 2024 NCRB report highlights that while India is witnessing a marginal improvement in overall crime levels, the nature of crime is evolving, shifting towards cyber-enabled offences and public health-linked fatalities, requiring a more technology-driven and preventive security approach.