Delhi most unsafe, tops crime chart among 19 major cities

New Delhi : The National capital is the most unsafe among 19 major cities in the country, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of rapes reported, 33 per cent of crimes against women and the highest crime rate in 2016, according to data released by the NCRB on Thursday.

Incidentally, Delhi also reported the maximum number of cases of heinous crimes such as murder, kidnapping, abduction, and economic offences.

According to the report for 2016, covering 19 cities with a population above two million, Delhi reported 33 per cent (13,803 cases of 41,761) of crimes against women last year. Mumbai followed at a distant second with 12.3 per cent (5,128 cases).

The national capital is followed by Mumbai, which recorded 12.3 per cent or 5,128 criminal cases against women.  The national capital has a population of nearly 19 million.

Delhi registered 40 per cent (1,996) of the total number of rape cases in the 19 cities and nearly 29 per cent cases each of cruelty meted out by husband and his relatives and dowry deaths across the country. However, 159 more rape cases were also registered in the rural areas of Delhi, taking the total number of rape cases in the entire national capital territory to 2,155.

Joint director in the NCRB Surendra Panwar said the bureau did not incorporate crime figures of rural areas of the 19 major cities, including Delhi, in the data.

In addition, among the 19 major cities, Delhi also reported 38.8 per cent of total IPC criminal cases, followed by Bengaluru at 8.9 per cent and Mumbai at 7.7 per cent. Delhi has the distinction of the highest crime rate of 182.1 as compared to the national average of 77.2.

In terms of kidnapping and abduction also, Delhi reported the maximum number of cases at 5,453 or 48.3 per cent in 2016 followed by Mumbai with 1,876 cases or 16.6 per cent, and Bengaluru with 879 cases or 7.8 per cent. As for murder, Delhi registered 479 out of a total of 2,194 cases or 21.8 per cent followed by Bengaluru at 229 cases or 10.4 per cent and Patna at 195 cases or 8.9 per cent.

Criminal cases involving juveniles in Delhi were 35.6 per cent or 2,368 cases out of 6,645. Delhi also reported the most number of cases of economic offences at 5,942 cases or 19.3 per cent followed by Jaipur at 4,742 cases and Mumbai at 4,191 cases.

Delhi police officials claim that the main reason for the national capital recording the highest number of cases is that as compared to other cities of different states, there is “free and fair” registration of cases, particularly of heinous crimes. 

Among the other states, Uttar Pradesh (UP) recorded the highest number of serious offences like murder.