Rape cases up by 12.4% in a year, says NCRB data

NEW DELHI: Crimes across the country spiked by 2.6% in 2016 according to latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) with Uttar Pradesh accounting for 9.5% of the total crime committed in India.

The north Indian state is closely followed by Madhya Pradesh which accounts for 8.9% of the total crimes while as Maharashtra and Kerala account for 8.8% and 8.7% respectively. Rape cases in the country have reported an increase of 12.4% from 34,651 cases in 2015 to 38,947 in 2016, the report has revealed.

According to NCRB data, a total of 48,31,515 cognizable crimes were reported in 2016 while the figure stood at 47,10,676 cases in 2015. Among the incidents reported this year 29,75,711 are Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 18,55,804 Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes. Categories under SLL crimes include cases registered under the Arms Act, Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances Act, Immoral Traffic Act, Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and so on. IPC crimes include both heinous and non-heinous crimes such as murder, rape, gang rape, theft and so on.

Data shows that 30,450 cases of murder were reported during 2016, whereas 32,127 cases were reported in 2015. In this category too Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 4,889 cases accounting for 16.1% of the total cases followed by Bihar with 2,581 cases and Maharashtra with 2,299 cases. Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of rapes with 4,882 cases (12.5%) and 4,816 (12.4%) followed by Maharashtra 4,189 (10.7%) during 2016.

Kidnapping of women too has witnessed a major spike and the motivation behind the crime here has been suggested as forced marriages.

A total of 88,008 cases of kidnapping and abduction were reported during 2016 in which, 66,525 were female victims and 23,350 were male victims. The report states“maximum number of persons were kidnapped or abducted for marriage (33,855)”. Here also, UP tops the list with 15,898 cases followed by Maharashtra 9,333 and Bihar 7,324 cases.

Data further shows atrocities and crime against Scheduled Castes increased by 5.5% in 2016 when 40,801 such cases were reported across the country .

CRIME IN THE COUNTRY SHOT UP BY 2.6%, CYBER CASES ALSO ON THE RISE