Crime against women and children witnessed a significant rise in 2021 over the previous year. As per the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 4,28,278 cases of crime against women were registered during 2021, showing an increase of 15.3 per cent over 2020 (3,71,503 cases).

Majority of cases under crime against women under IPC were registered under ‘Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives’ (31.8 per cent) followed by ‘Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’ (20.8 per cent), ‘Kidnapping & Abduction of Women’ (17.6 per cent) and ‘Rape’ (7.4 per cent). The crime rate registered per lakh women population is 64.5 in 2021 in comparison with 56.5 in 2020.

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Similarly, a total of 1,49,404 cases of crime against children were registered during 2021, showing an increase of 16.2 per cent over 2020 (1,28,531 cases). In percentage terms, major crime heads under ‘Crime Against Children’ during 2020 were kidnapping and abduction (45 per cent) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (38.1 per cent) including child rape. The crime rate registered per lakh children population is 33.6 in 2021 in comparison with 28.9 in 2020.

The NCRB data said that overall, a total of 60,96,310 cognizable crimes comprising 36,63,360 Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 24,32,950 Special & Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered in 2021. It shows a decline of 5,04,975 (7.6 per cent) in registration of cases over 2020 (66,01,285 cases).

Crime rate registered per lakh population has declined from 487.8 in 2020 to 445.9 in 2021. During 2021, registration of cases under IPC has declined by 13.9 per cent whereas SLL crimes have increased by 3.7 per cent over 2020. Percentage share of IPC was 60.1 per cent while percentage share of SLL cases was 39.9 per cent of total cognizable crimes during 2021.

As per the NCRB data, major decline was seen in the cases registered under disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant (Sec. 188 IPC) from 6,12,179 cases in 2020 to 3,22,115 cases in 2021 and under ‘Other IPC Crimes’ from 10,62,399 cases in 2020 to 4,96,535 cases in 2021.