 "Delhi witnesses marginal dip in major crimes, faces a surge in others")
Delhi recorded a slight dip in major crimes like murder, robbery, rape, and molestation last year compared to 2023, reported NDTV, citing data shared by the Delhi Police. While the city made strides in controlling some forms of crime, certain challenges like fatal accidents and burglaries showed troubling increases.
Decline in murder and robbery cases
The data also reveals that Delhi reported 504 murder cases in 2024, a marginal decline from 506 in 2023. Robbery cases also saw a decrease, dropping from 1,654 in 2023 to 1,510 last year. Incidents of riots were notably down, with 33 cases reported in 2024 compared to 43 two years earlier.
Fewer crimes against women
Crimes against women showed significant improvement. The city recorded 2,076 cases of rape, a drop from 2,141 in 2023. Molestation cases fell sharply to 2,037, down by 308 from the previous year. However, cases of eve-teasing rose slightly, with 362 incidents reported in 2024 compared to 281 in 2023, the report stated.
Mixed trends in other crimes
The number of dacoity incidents remained steady at 29, unchanged from 2023. However, the city witnessed an increase in fatal accidents, rising to 1,504 from 1,432 in the previous year. Burglary cases surged significantly, with 29,011 incidents reported in 2024 —over 400 more than in 2023.
Cases of gambling also saw a rise, with 3,556 incidents reported last year. Meanwhile, crimes related to the Excise Act increased sharply, jumping to 6,443 cases in 2024 from 5,951 in 2023. The rise in excise-related crimes coincides with the arrests of several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in connection with the excise policy cases.
Crime Branch cracks down on hardened criminals
The Delhi Police also made significant progress in apprehending hardened criminals last year, arresting 114 offenders. These included 40 parole jumpers and 40 wanted criminals. The remaining arrests comprised 18 interim bail jumpers, nine proclaimed offenders, four individuals with rewards on their heads, and three non-bailable warrant evaders.
Notably, the police arrested six criminals who had been on the run for over a decade and three others who had evaded capture for eight years.