Meerut: First, the good news. With an overall IPC/BNS crime rate of 180.2 per lakh population, as per the 2024 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Uttar Pradesh ranks 18th among all states and Union Territories, significantly lower than the national average. The country’s average stands at 252.3. In comparison, Delhi’s rate is a staggering 1,258.5, Kerala registers 513, and Telangana 497.7.
Lower Murder and Robbery Rates
Similarly, Uttar Pradesh’s murder rate of 1.3 places it 29th nationally, below the Indian average of 1.9. States like Jharkhand (3.7), Chhattisgarh (3.3), and Haryana (3.1) record higher rates. The robbery rate in the state is 0.5, against a national average of 1.6, while Delhi alone stands at 6.9.
Rape and Crimes Against Children
On rape, Uttar Pradesh’s rate of 2.8 is well below the national figure of 4.3, and nowhere near Chandigarh’s 16.6 or Rajasthan’s 12.2. For crimes against children, the state ranks 27th, with a rate of 26 dwarfed by Delhi’s 138.4. The state that political opponents have long described as ungovernable is, by violent street crime metrics, performing better than most of the country.
The Other Side: Dowry Deaths and Atrocities
Then comes the other UP. On dowry deaths, Uttar Pradesh ranks first in the nation with a crime rate of 1.8 per lakh against a national average of 0.8. In 2023, the rate was 1.9. Every year, women in Uttar Pradesh are dying in their matrimonial homes at a rate more than double the country’s average. In terms of figures, 5,737 cases of dowry deaths were reported nationally in 2024. Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 2,038 deaths. The cases of cruelty by in-laws, including husbands, totaled 120,227 nationally.
Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
On atrocities against Scheduled Castes, Uttar Pradesh ranks 6th, with a rate of 35.6 that exceeds the national average of 27.7. In 2023, the rate was 36.6. Notably, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan rank worse. Recent statistical data reveal a slight decline in reported crimes against SCs and STs in 2024 compared to the previous year. Specifically, cases involving crimes against SCs dropped to 55,698 from the 2023 total of 57,789. A more significant reduction was observed in offences against STs, which fell to 9,966 cases in 2024 from 12,960 in 2023. Geographically, the distribution of these incidents remains concentrated in specific regions.
Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of crimes against SCs with 14,642 cases, while Madhya Pradesh and Bihar followed with 7,765 and 7,549 incidents, respectively. Regarding crimes against STs, Madhya Pradesh maintained the highest number of recorded offences across the country.
