Crime up by 1.3% in 2018 as 50 lakh cases filed: NCRB

Crime in India has increased by 1.3 per cent in 2018, over 2017, with the registration of over 50 lakh cognisable crimes, reveals the 2018 edition of ‘Crime in India’ statistics released this week by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

As per the NCRB, which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs, a total of 50.74 lakh crimes – 31.32 lakh under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 19.41 lakh under Special and Local Laws (SLL) – were registered in 2018.

Though, there was an overall rise of 1.3 per cent in the registration of cases over 2017 (50,07,044 cases), however, the crime rate per lakh population has come down from 388.6 in 2017 to 383.5 in 2018, the report said.

During 2018, registration of cases under the IPC have increased by 2.3 per cent whereas SLL crimes have declined by 0.1 per cent over 2017. Percentage share of IPC cases was 61.7 per cent and SLL cases was 38.3 per cent of total cognizable crimes during 2018.

A total of 33,15,033 persons were arrested for 31,32,954 IPC crimes in 2018 while a total of 21,93,157 persons were arrested for 19,41,680 SLL crimes.

A total of 35,75,644 persons were charge-sheeted under the IPC, 8,64,686 convicted, 10,73,377 acquitted and 89,735 were discharged in 2018. Meanwhile, a total of 23,84,982 persons were charge sheeted under SLL, 14,22,151 convicted, 3,13,443 acquitted and 27,642 were discharged.

A total of 10,40,046 cases of offences affecting the human body were registered which accounted for 33.2 per cent of total IPC crimes during 2018, out of which hurt (5,30,076 cases) were the maximum cases, at 51 per cent, followed by cases of causing death by negligence (1,44,031 cases), kidnapping and abduction (1,05,734 cases), accounting for 13.8 per cent and 10.2 per cent respectively.

A total of 29,017 murders were reported in 2018, up by 1.3 per cent over 2017 (28,653 cases). Of these, disputes were reported as the motive in the highest number of murder cases (9,623) followed by personal vendetta and enmity (3,875) and gain (2,995).

A total of 1.05 lakh cases of kidnapping and abduction across the country were registered in 2018, showing an increase of 10.3 per cent over 95,893 such cases in 2017, the latest NCRB report said.

Of the total kidnappings, 24,665 victims were male and 80,871 were female. Among the kidnapped or abducted 63,356 (15,250 male and 48,106 female) victims were children and 42,180 (9,415 male and 32,765 female) victims were adult.

Out of 92,137 kidnapped or abducted persons (22,755 male and 69,382 female), 91,709 persons were recovered alive and 428 persons were dead.

A total of 76,851 cases of offences against public tranquillity were registered under various sections of the IPC during 2018, out of which rioting (57,828 cases) accounted for 75.2 per cent of total cases.

Majority of cases under crimes against women out of total IPC crimes against women were registered under ‘Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives’ (31.9 per cent) followed by ‘Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’ (27.6 per cent), ‘Kidnapping and Abduction of Women’ (22.5 per cent) and ‘Rape’ (10.3 per cent).

The crime rate per lakh women population is 58.8 in 2018 in comparison with 57.9 in 2017.

In percentage terms, major crime heads under ‘Crime Against Children’ during 2018 were kidnapping and abduction (44.2 per cent) and cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) (34.7 per cent), including child rape.

The crime rate per lakh children population is 31.8 in 2018 in comparison with 28.9 in 2017.

A total of 38,256 juveniles were apprehended in 31,591 cases, out of which 35,380 were apprehended under cases of IPC and 2,876 under SLL during 2018. Majority of juveniles in conflict with law apprehended under IPC and SLL crimes were in the age group of 16 years to 18 years (75.5 per cent) (28,867 out of 38,256) during 2018.

Crime head-wise cases revealed that simple hurt with 30.6 per cent (13,078 cases) comprised the highest number of cases of crimes and atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) followed by SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act only with 9.8 per cent (4,212 cases) and criminal intimidation with 7.3 per cent (3,137 cases) during 2018.

Similarly, simple hurt (1,429 cases) formed the highest number of cases of crimes and atrocities against Scheduled Tribes (STs) accounting for 21.9 per cent followed by rape with 15.4 per cent (1,008 cases) and assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty with 13.1 per cent (857 cases) during 2018.

Out of three specified category of economic offences (criminal breach of trust, forgery, cheating and fraud and counterfeiting), forgery, cheating and fraud accounted for maximum such cases, with 1,34,546 cases, followed by criminal breach of trust (20,456 cases) and counterfeiting (1,266 cases) during 2018.

Of 55.2 per cent of cyber-crime cases registered were for the motive of fraud (15,051 out of 27,248 cases) followed by sexual exploitation with 7.5 per cent (2,030 cases) and causing disrepute with 4.4 per cent (1,212 cases).

Accidental deaths have also seen a rise to 4,11,824 in 2018 from 3,96,584 in 2017 — a rise to 31.1 per cent from 30.3 per cent in 2017.

The NCRB report ‘Crime in India-2018’ said in its disclaimer section that clarifications on data were pending from West Bengal, Arunachal, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Kolkata. Hence, the data from these states and cities may be treated as provisional.-IANS News