Economic offences in Indian cities are rising fast, averaging 117 daily cases in 2024 compared with 86 in 2018. The biggest share comes from forgery, cheating, and fraud—often in the Rs 1–10 lakh range—while bigger scams also continue to surface, pointing to widening financial crime risks.
NCRB data for 2024 points to a worrying shift: cases involving juveniles in conflict with the law rose 11.2% to 34,878. At the same time, crimes against senior citizens increased. While kidnapping and abduction cases declined 15.4% to 96,079, overall patterns suggest more youth-linked offenses and heightened targeting of the elderly.
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India recorded a 6 percent decline in crimes in 2024, with over 58 lakh cases reported compared to about 62 lakh in 2023. The crime rate per lakh population also fell. NCRB data shows a sharp drop in offences categorised as “Hurt”, a marginal reduction in murder cases, and dips in crimes against women as well as Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
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