Uttar Pradesh recorded 42,987 accidental deaths in 2024, making it the third worst-affected state in the country after Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, according to the NCRB ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2024’ report.
Although the state registered a marginal decline of 0.5% compared to 43,207 accidental deaths in 2023, the figures underline the continuing scale of fatalities linked to road accidents, drowning, workplace hazards and other preventable causes.
The NCRB data shows Uttar Pradesh accounted for more than 9% of India’s total 4,67,857 accidental deaths in 2024—equivalent to nearly 118 deaths every day. The report noted that deaths due to “forces of nature” in the state declined from 852 in 2023 to 801 in 2024, while deaths due to “other causes” fell marginally from 42,355 to 42,186.
Despite the slight decline, Uttar Pradesh remained ahead of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar and West Bengal in total accidental fatalities. The gender-wise data revealed a sharp imbalance with 35,023 victims were men, 7,964 were women and one was a transgender victim. Men accounted for over 81.5% of all accidental deaths in the state, reflecting the high exposure of male workers to road travel, construction activity, industrial work and agricultural risks.
The report showed that economically productive age groups suffered the heaviest losses. In Uttar Pradesh, 13,470 people aged 18-30 years died in accidents, 12,912 deaths occurred in the 30-45 age group, and 7,894 people aged 45-60 years lost their lives. Together, these age groups accounted for nearly four-fifths of all accidental deaths in the state.
The NCRB figures also highlighted the continuing vulnerability of children in Uttar Pradesh. The state recorded 1,715 deaths among children below 14 years and 862 deaths in the 14-18 age group. Experts say drowning incidents, unsafe roads, inadequate traffic enforcement and hazardous rural environments continue to contribute significantly to child fatalities.
Among cities, Lucknow recorded the highest 1,006 accidental deaths in the state, followed by Agra with 761 deaths and Varanasi with 361 deaths. Lucknow also witnessed a sharp 40.1% rise in accidental fatalities over 2023, while deaths caused by natural forces in the city increased by 466.7%. Nationally, accidental deaths increased by 5.3% in 2024, rising from 4,44,104 in 2023 to 4,67,857 in 2024.
The NCRB report suggests that despite the rapid expansion of highways, urban infrastructure and economic activity, safety enforcement, emergency response systems and disaster preparedness mechanisms remain inadequate in large states such as Uttar Pradesh.
