This CRB Report: Situation of Cyber Crime and Sexual Exploitation of Children Alarming, Overall Crime Decreases

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has released its detailed report on 'Crime in India 2024' and 'Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2024' (ADSI 2024).
The report, based on 2024 statistics, presents a mixed picture of the country's law and order situation. While there has been a decline in crimes against women, Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST), the rising numbers of cyber fraud and child sexual abuse have increased concerns among security agencies.
According to the report, the country has witnessed a 6 percent decline in overall crimes. In 2023, 62.41 lakh cases were registered, which decreased to 58.86 lakh in 2024. The crime rate per lakh population has also decreased from 448.3 to 418.9. Experts believe that the implementation of new laws like the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has led to a change in the categorization of heart-related cases, resulting in a decline of over 30 percent in such cases.
The most disturbing aspect of the report is the rising crimes against children. There has been a significant increase in cases registered under the POCSO Act. According to the latest report, crimes against children have increased by 5.9 percent, with 1,87,702 cases registered in 2024. Of these, 69,191 cases were under the POCSO Act, accounting for 37 percent of total crimes. There has also been an increase in the number of missing children.
Crimes against women have decreased by 1.5 percent (4.41 lakh cases), but cases of cruelty by husbands or relatives remain at the top of the list. The states of Goa and Chandigarh have reported higher rates of rape than the national average.
The suicide statistics (ADSI) raise serious questions about the social situation. In 2024, a total of 1,70,746 people took their own lives. The most affected were daily wage laborers, farmers, unemployed youth, and housewives. Delhi tops the list of cities in terms of suicide cases, followed by Bangalore. Furthermore, deaths due to drug overdose have increased by almost 50 percent, with Tamil Nadu and Punjab being the most affected.
In the era of Digital India, cybercrime has emerged as a major challenge, with a significant increase of 17-18 percent. Cybercrime cases have risen from 86,420 to 1,01,928, with 72.6 percent related to online fraud. The state of Telangana (27,230 cases) has emerged as the hub of cybercrime.
On the positive side, there has been a 3.6 percent decline in crimes against SCs and a 23 percent decline in crimes against STs. Murder cases have also decreased by 2.4 percent.
These statistics have made it clear that the country's future, i.e., its children, are highly insecure. In the coming years, the biggest challenge for the government and administration will be to strengthen cyber security and prevent child abuse in their own environment.