Patna: Bihar has emerged as the state with the highest number of crimes committed by juveniles in India, recording 5,037 such cases in 2024, according to the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) ‘Crime in India 2024’ report released on Wednesday. The state also reported the highest number of violent crime incidents at 1,07,303 — a massive 105% rise from 52,165 cases in 2023. The NCRB data presents a worrying picture for Bihar across multiple categories of crime.At the macro level, Bihar registered 2,38,753 IPC and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) crimes in 2024, reflecting a 3.07% increase from 2,31,627 cases in 2023 and nearly a 13% rise compared to 2,11,079 cases in 2022. The state stood second in murder cases with 2,787 incidents, behind Uttar Pradesh’s 3,218. Bihar also recorded the highest number of hurt cases under offences affecting the human body, with 77,606 incidents involving 87,317 victims.The state reported the highest number of kidnapping and abduction cases at 7,305, including 52 cases of kidnapping for ransom. In crimes against women, Bihar recorded 12,438 cases of kidnapping, abducting or inducing women to compel marriage under Section 87 of BNS/Section 366 of IPC, the highest in the country. Other crimes against women included 1,165 rape cases, 225 incidents of assault or criminal force to outrage modesty, and 62 cases of sexual harassment. Dowry deaths stood at 1,078, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh’s 2,057. Overall offences against women and children totalled 17,025 in the state.Bihar also emerged second highest in several other categories. It recorded three cases of selling children for prostitution, behind Jharkhand’s four. Under Crime Against Women-Related Acts, the state reported 3,843 incidents involving 3,949 victims, second only to Uttar Pradesh. Bihar also recorded the highest number of violations under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, with 551 incidents involving 809 victims.Other notable figures included 4,353 hit-and-run cases resulting in 4,949 victims under deaths due to negligence in road accidents, and 26 deaths due to negligence in rail accidents. The state recorded 47,535 theft cases, 6,240 extortion cases, 1,977 robberies, 238 dacoities, 5,576 burglaries and 4,302 fraud cases.Rioting cases stood at 3,185, including 80 communal or religious riots involving 155 victims — the second highest after Maharashtra, which reported 90 cases and 126 victims. Land and property disputes accounted for 352 cases involving 659 victims, while enmity or rivalry triggered 2,076 incidents. Bihar also topped the country in rioting or attacks on police personnel and other govt servants, recording 312 cases involving 416 victims. Rash driving on public ways was reported in 3,453 cases involving 6,600 victims.Additionally, Bihar recorded 64,728 cases under the Prohibition Act and 2,411 cases under the NDPS Act. Acid attack cases stood at 11. A senior officer in Bihar Police said they would comment only after analysing the NCRB’s latest data.
