NEW DELHI: At least 32,602 cases were registered for crimes against senior citizens (aged above 60) in 2024, marking a 16.9% increase from 27,886 cases in 2023, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. Overall, 27,049 murder cases were recorded in 2024, a slight decline from 27,721 in 2023. Personal enmity and disputes emerged as the primary motives, along with murder for gain.
Kidnapping and Abduction Cases Decline
In 2024, 96,079 cases of kidnapping and abduction were registered, reflecting a 15.4% decrease compared to 1.13 lakh cases in 2023. Of the total crimes, 35.4 lakh cases were filed under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which was introduced in 2024, while 23.4 lakh cases were lodged under special and local laws.
Metropolitan Crime Trends
The NCRB also released data on crimes in 19 metropolitan cities, revealing 8.4 lakh cognizable crimes in 2024, a 10.9% dip from 9.4 lakh cases in 2023. A total of 1,987 murder cases were reported in these cities, a 0.8% decline from 2,004 cases in 2023.
Seizures and Enforcement
Authorities seized 8.21 lakh fake Indian currency notes with a face value of Rs 54.6 crore in 2024. Additionally, 3.62 lakh kg of explosives, including RDX and TNT, were confiscated, compared to 10 lakh kg in 2023.
Crimes Against Scheduled Castes and Tribes
Data shows 55,698 cases were registered for crimes against scheduled castes (SCs), a 3.6% decrease from 57,789 cases in 2023. For scheduled tribes (STs), 9,966 cases were recorded, a 23.1% drop from 12,960 cases in 2023.
Arms Act and Hurt Cases
Cases under the Arms Act declined to 63,564 in 2024 from 73,388 in 2023. There was also a sharp drop in cases of “hurt,” but the report clarified this may be linked to legal changes under the BNS, which made it a non-cognizable offence.
