Crime in India 2020: Volume-II

During 2020, a total of 24,794 cases of crimes against senior citizens (those aged 60 years and above) were registered. This marked a decrease of 10.8 per cent in registration over the year 2019. About 25.8 per cent of such cases were for the charge of causing ‘simple hurt’, followed by ‘theft’ (11.6 per cent).

The crime rate against senior citizens, measured as crime committed per one lakh population, was highest for the state of Madhya Pradesh at 80.5 cases per lakh population.

A total of 50,291 cases were registered as crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs), marking an increase of 9.4 per cent over the figures in 2019.

With 12,714 cases, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases of crimes against SCs, followed by Bihar (7,368 cases) and Rajasthan (7,017 cases).

Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of cases – 205 cases – of rape of children (below 18 years of age) belonging to Scheduled Castes in 2020.

A total of 8,272 cases of crimes against members of Scheduled Tribes (STs) were registered in 2020, marking an increase of 9.3 per cent over cases registered in 2019 (7,570 cases). The crime rate for such offences increased from 7.3 cases per lakh population in 2019 to 7.9 cases per lakh population in 2020.

A total of 145,754 cases were registered under economic offences (criminal breach of trust, forgery, cheating and fraud, and counterfeiting) in the year 2020. The maximum number of such cases (127,724 cases) was registered for forgery, cheating and fraud. The highest number of such cases were registered in Rajasthan (18,122), followed by Telangana (12,396) and Uttar Pradesh (12,198).

In 2020, 26,970 cases of economic offenses were recorded in the 19 metropolitan cities surveyed. Delhi reported the highest number of such cases at 4,445 cases, followed by Mumbai (3,927 cases) and Hyderabad (3,427 cases).

A total of 50,035 cases were registered under cyber-crimes in the year 2020, showing 11.8 per cent increase in registration over the year 2019. Fraud was the primary motive behind most cases of cyber-crime, as per the report. Out of a total number of such cases, 30,142 cases recorded the motive of fraud.

In the 19 metropolitan cities surveyed, a total of 18,657 cases of cyber-crimes were registered in 2020. With 8,892 cases, Bengaluru registered the highest number of such cases.

A total of 5,613 cases were registered as offences against the State in the year 2020, decreasing from the 7,656 cases registered in the year 2019. Most of the cases (4,524 cases) were registered under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.

In the year 2020, 796 cases were registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. With 287 cases, Jammu and Kashmir registered the highest number of cases under this Act, followed by Manipur (169 cases).

A total of 61,767 cases were registered as offences related to the environment, increasing by 78.1 per cent compared to the year 2019.

Focus and Factoids by Paridhi Maheshwari.