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New Delhi: India recorded 58.85 lakh criminal cases in 2024, a decline of 6% from the 62.41 lakh cases reported in 2023, according to the latest data released on May 6, by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The crime rate, measured in terms of cases registered per lakh population, dipped correspondingly from 448.3 in 2023 to 418.9 in 2024. Of the recorded cases, 35.44 lakh were registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), and 23.41 lakh under special and local laws, the report revealed.

This apparent improvement in the overall crime figures ought to be analysed keeping in mind the complicated reality, with cybercrime, crimes against children and economic offences posing significant concerns, and the potential impact of legislative reclassification on reflected numbers.

Cases classified under the ‘hurt’ category in IPC sections 325, 326 and 329-335 observed a major 30.58% drop, reducing from 6.36 lakh to 4.41 lakh in 2024. NCRB, however, clarified that the dip in cases under ‘hurt or grievous hurt’ may be attributed to changes in the BNS, which replaced the IPC in 2023. Sections of ‘hurt or grievous hurt’ have been merged while ‘simple hurt’ has been reclassified as a non-cognisable offence, meaning it no longer appears in police registration data. Thus, the fall is likely attributed to legislative change rather than an actual reduction in number of incidents.

Cyber offences increase by 18%

One of the most striking trends in the data is the continued and accelerating rise in digital offences. Over 1.01 lakh cybercrime cases were reported in 2024, an increase of 17.9% over 2023’s record of 86, 420 cases, which itself had........

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