NCRB Releases Crime in India 2023 — Rising Cases, Changing Patterns, and New Challenges
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | SDG 5: Gender Equality
Institutions: Ministry of Home Affairs | National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
The NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) has released Crime in India 2023 in three parts, offering a full panorama of crime patterns, prosecutions, and special crimes. Volume I covers general crime trends; Volumes II and III delve into socioeconomic factors, special & cyber-crimes, judicial statistics, prisons, and convictions.
reveals that 6.24 million cases were registered in 2023 - a 7.2% rise from 2022 - pushing the national crime rate to 448.3 per lakh population (from 422.2). This equates to a crime being reported roughly every five seconds.
Key Trends & Highlights
Overall Crime & Shifts
Traditional violent crimes have seen marginal decline: murders fell 2.8%, and rape cases declined 5.9%.
Meanwhile, urban and cyber-crimes have surged: metropolitan cities saw growth of 10.6% in crime incidence, with Delhi recording the highest number.Cybercrime Explosion
Cyber offences rose 31.2% in 2023, led by fraud (68.9% of cases), extortion, and sexual exploitation.
States with high cybercrime rates include Telangana and Karnataka, though charge-sheet rates remain low (20.9% in Telangana, 18.1% in Karnataka).Crimes Against Vulnerable Groups
Women: Crimes against women edged up by 0.7%, with domestic cruelty (29.8%) remaining the dominant category.
Scheduled Tribes (STs): A sharp 28.8% increase in cases was recorded, especially in states with ethnic tensions like Manipur.
Children: Crimes against children increased 9.2%, with many cases under the POCSO Act, indicating both rising vulnerability and improved reporting.
Fake Currency & Economic Crimes
A total of 3,51,656 counterfeit notes worth ₹16.86 crore were seized. Uttar Pradesh led in lower-denomination seizures, while Delhi dominated the high-value counterfeit seizures.Prosecution & Judicial Efficiency
Some metropolitan cities achieved high charge-sheet rates: Kochi (95.9%), Patna (89.9%), Kozhikode (~89.4%) for IPC crimes.Missing / Underreported Data & Concerns
Observers point to missing data in the report on extremist, insurgent or terror crimes’ pendency, police courts, and acquittals.
The Crime in India 2023 findings suggest two simultaneous dynamics: rising total crime, especially in digital and urban spaces, and new fault lines in vulnerability, prosecution, and data transparency. While stronger reporting and surveillance may partly explain upticks, systemic gaps remain in converting data into deterrence.
What is NCRB? → The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is a government agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), established in 1986. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and publishing crime data across India. NCRB maintains national databases on crime, criminals, and law enforcement, and publishes annual reports such as Crime in India, Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, and Prison Statistics in India. Its mandate is to improve data-driven policing, policy formulation, and criminal justice planning.
Follow the full report here: Crime In India Year Wise | National Crime Records Bureau