A slight decline in crimes such as murder, robbery, rape, and molestation were recorded in 2024 as compared to the previous year, according to the annual data released by the Delhi Police.
Crime in the national capital has become a contentious issue in the run-up to the Assembly election with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) targeting the BJP over law and order, which falls under the aegis of the Central government.
Reacting to the Delhi police data, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the people of Delhi should be asked whether crime has “actually reduced”.
“Gunshots are fired on the streets. The people will tell you how safe they feel in Delhi,” he said at a press conference.
AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh said, “It is shameful that despite gang wars taking place in the city, they [police] are claiming the numbers have still gone down.”
According to police data, cases of sexual harassment decreased to 362 from 381 the previous year. Street crime, including snatching cases, reduced in 2024 with 6,493 cases reported as compared to 7,886 in 2023. Motor vehicle theft cases declined to 39,976 from 40,045.
One of the most reported crimes — theft — saw a sharp decline in 2024, with 1,17,563 incidents recorded, a drop from 1,58,965 in 2023.
The data, however, show fatal accidents rose to 1,504 in 2024 from 1,432 in 2023 and burglaries too witnessed a surge of 29,000, marking an increase of over 400 cases from the previous year.
A sharp rise was recorded in cases under the Excise Act, which increased to 6,445 from 5,951 in the previous year. Similarly, cases registered under the Gambling Act saw a marginal uptick, rising to 3,556 in 2024 from 3,534 in 2023.
Moreover, a significant increase was observed in cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to 1,789 in 2024 from 1,325 the previous year.
New strategies
A senior Delhi Police officer said the several improved law enforcement strategies including targeted operations, enhanced patrolling and technology driven surveillance led to the decrease in crime rate.
Police used AI-powered surveillance cameras that worked on analysing crowd behaviour to detect untoward incidents, awareness, and a victim-centric support system like women help desks to create a safer environment for women, the officer said. Police also collaborated with municipal authorities to have well-lit roads and streets.
Published – January 12, 2025 01:46 am IST