New Delhi: A total of 31,677 rape cases were registered in India during 2021 – or around 87 rape cases every day on average – reveals the latest compilation by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Rajasthan recorded the highest number of rape cases in the country, while Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh followed.
As per the NCRB’s ‘Crime in India 2021’ report, there was a 19.34% increase in rape cases last year when compared to 2020.
A total of 4,28,278 crimes against women were registered in the country. The report also shows that there was a 13.2% increase in overall crimes against women in 2021 compared to the year before. Crimes against women include cases of rape, molestation, acid attack, cruelty by husband/his relatives and domestic violence, among others.
Rajasthan reported highest number of rape cases
Rajasthan reported the highest number of rape cases in the country in 2021, with an increase of more than 19% in comparison to 2020. Of the total 31,677 rape cases registered across the country last year, 6,337 were reported in Rajasthan, followed by 2,947 in Madhya Pradesh and 2,845 in Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra (2,506) was the only other state which reported more than 2,000 rape cases in 2021.
Nagaland registered the least cases of rape (4) in 2021, followed by Sikkim (8). In fact, all the Northeastern states – except Assam (1835) – registered below 100 cases of rape.
The data also reveals that across India, in 96.5% of rape cases, the offender was known to the woman. Of the total 31,677 rape cases, 28,147 or nearly 89% of the rapes were committed either by friends (including online friends), live-in partners (on the pretext of marriage), separated husbands or family friends, employers or other known persons.
In all the states except West Bengal, offenders who knew the survivor committed more than 90% of the rapes.
Across the country, minors were subjected to rape in 3,038 cases or nearly 10% of the total cases. Nearly 64% of the rape cases were against women in the 18-30 age group.
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Delhi again tops list of metropolitan cities
Delhi once again reported the highest cases of rape among 19 cities which had a population of more than 20 lakh. The NCRB report says that 1,226 rape cases were registered in the national capital in 2021. It is the only metropolitan city that registered more than 1,000 rape cases. Jaipur (502 cases) and Mumbai (364) registered the second- and third-highest rape cases in the country in 2021.
Kolkata (11) registered the least number of cases, followed by Coimbatore (12) and Patna (30).
The rate of rape cases (one case registered per one lakh women population) was the least in Kolkata (0.2), followed by Chennai (1.0) and Coimbatore (1.1). Jaipur had the highest crime rate for rape cases (34.5), followed by Delhi (16.1) and Indore (15.9). These are the only three cities with a two-digit crime rate for rape.
When it comes to overall crimes against women, the national capital accounted for 32.20% of the total crimes in the 19 metropolitan cities, followed by Mumbai (12.76%) and Bengaluru (7.2%).
UP has highest number of crimes against women
As many as 4,28,278 cases of crime against women were registered across the country in 2021. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with a maximum of 56,083 cases, followed by Rajasthan where as many as 40,738 cases were registered. Maharashtra and West Bengal stand in third and fourth position with 39,526 and 35,884 cases, respectively, of crime against women last year.
Nagaland reported the least number of crimes against women, with 54. It was followed by Sikkim (130), Mizoram (176) and Goa (224).
According to the Indian Express, 31.8% of crimes against women were cases registered under ‘cruelty by husband or his relatives’, 20.8% of cases were under ‘assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty’, while kidnapping and abduction accounted for 17.6% of cases and rape cases for 7.4%.
The crime rate (one case registered per one lakh women population) was 64.5 in 2021, compared to 56.5 in 2020. Among states, Assam had the highest crime rate (168.3), followed by Odisha (137.8), Haryana (119.7) and Rajasthan (105.4).
Also Read: To Solve Violence Against Women, We Need More Than Just Criminal Law Reforms
Dowry deaths highest in UP
The NCRB report also shows that 6,589 cases of dowry deaths, in which 6,628 persons died, were also registered across the country. Uttar Pradesh accounts for more than a third of these cases, with 2,222 cases registered in that state alone. Bihar (1,000) was the only other state where four-digit cases for dowry death were registered.
Among metropolitan cities, 136 dowry death cases were registered in Delhi – the highest by far. The second highest cases were registered in Lucknow (51), followed by Jaipur (34).
A dowry death is defined by Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code as:
“Where the death of a woman is caused by any burns or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under normal circumstances within seven years of her marriage and it is shown that soon before her death she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband for, or in connection with, any demand for dowry, such death shall be called ‘dowry death’, and such husband or relative shall be deemed to have caused her death.”
