India Records 29% Decline in Violent Crime Over Past Decade: Comprehensive Analysis of NCRB Data

Northeast Delhi riots in February 2020 resulted in 53 fatalities and over 500 injuries, yet this incident stands against a broader backdrop of declining violent crime nationwide.

India has witnessed a substantial reduction in violent crime over the last decade, according to comprehensive data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Statistics reveal a transformative improvement in India's security landscape since 2014, with significant decreases across major violent crime categories.

The aggregated figures for violent crimes—including rape, dowry deaths, riots, and murders—show a remarkable 29 percent reduction, from 145,000 cases in 2014 to 102,000 cases in 2023. Notably, these 2023 figures fall below the 118,000 cases documented in 2004, demonstrating consistent progress across two decades.

Crimes against women have seen particularly encouraging improvements. Rape cases, which had nearly doubled between 2004 and 2014, decreased by 19 percent from 36,735 in 2014 to 29,670 in 2023. Even more significant is the 27 percent decline in dowry deaths—the most substantial reduction among tracked violent crime categories—falling from 8,455 cases to 6,156 cases during the same period.

Other violent crime metrics show similar positive trends. Riot incidents decreased by 40 percent, from 66,042 cases in 2014 to 39,260 in 2023. Murder cases also declined by 18 percent, from 33,981 to 27,721 during this timeframe.

Government officials credit this improvement to continuous efforts in police modernization and internal security enhancement. The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) now integrates 17,712 police stations nationwide, providing access to more than 35 crore crime records across the country.

The Police Modernization Scheme has allocated Rs 4,846 crore since 2021 to upgrade essential law enforcement capabilities, including communication systems, surveillance technologies, and weaponry.

Legislative reforms have complemented these infrastructural improvements. New criminal laws have introduced more stringent provisions and time-sensitive investigation protocols, including a specialized section containing 37 provisions specifically addressing crimes against women and children.