Bhopal: The latest NCRB data on Madhya Pradesh's law and order has raised serious questions. The rising crimes against women, tribals, children, and vulnerable sections have heightened concerns about the state's security system. Opposition parties and social organizations believe that the government's indifferent attitude and administrative laxity are leading to a continuous increase in criminal incidents. They allege that the fear of law among criminals is diminishing, while victims are not receiving timely justice or security.
The 'Crime in India 2024' report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has raised serious questions about Madhya Pradesh's law and order and social security. According to the report, Madhya Pradesh has ranked first in the country in crimes against Scheduled Tribes (STs). Additionally, the state is among the top states in crimes against women, dowry deaths, crimes against children, kidnappings, murders, and POCSO cases. The data indicates that the safety of women and vulnerable sections remains a persistent challenge in the state.
The NCRB released this report on May 6, which includes crime data for the year 2024. Typically, this report should have been released by September 2025, but this time, due to delays in data verification and reconciliation of crime information, the report was released nearly eight months late.
According to the report, a total of 32,832 cases were registered against women in Madhya Pradesh during 2024, keeping the state in fifth place in the country for the fourth consecutive year. According to the data, an average of over 90 crimes against women were registered daily in the state. These include rape, dowry harassment, domestic violence, kidnapping, and other serious crimes. The report also states that a rape case is registered every three hours in the state, raising serious questions about women's safety.
Madhya Pradesh's situation is also extremely concerning regarding dowry deaths. According to the NCRB, a total of 450 dowry death cases were registered in the state in 2024. Of these, 232 cases were registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 218 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). In this category, Madhya Pradesh ranked third in the country. Uttar Pradesh ranked first with 2,038 cases, followed by Bihar in second place. Experts believe that dowry practices and domestic violence against women remain serious social problems in both rural and urban areas.
The report also expressed concern over murder and kidnapping cases. Madhya Pradesh ranked fourth in the country in both murder and kidnapping. However, a slight decline in murder cases has been recorded over the past two years. In 2022, 1,978 murder cases were reported in the state, which decreased to 1,832 in 2023 and further to 1,813 in 2024 – a reduction of 173 cases in two years. In contrast, kidnapping cases have seen a continuous increase. In 2022, 10,409 kidnapping cases were registered, which rose to 11,768 in 2023 and 11,847 in 2024. This means an average of 32 kidnapping cases are registered daily in the state. Madhya Pradesh ranked fourth in kidnapping cases after Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
Madhya Pradesh ranking first in the country in crimes against the Scheduled Tribe (ST) is being considered the most concerning issue. According to the NCRB, 3,165 cases were registered against the ST community in the state in 2024. Additionally, with 7,765 cases of crimes against the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, Madhya Pradesh ranked second in the country. Social organizations and human rights activists state that violence, land disputes, social discrimination, and harassment against tribal and Dalit communities are continually surfacing, but effective steps for their prevention are still insufficient.
The situation regarding crimes against children remains serious in Madhya Pradesh. However, a relief is that while the state ranked first in the country in this category last year, it has now dropped to third place. According to the NCRB report, 21,908 cases of crimes against children were registered in 2024. These include child sexual abuse, kidnapping, child marriage, child labor, and violence. Under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, 3,721 cases were registered, placing Madhya Pradesh fourth in the country. In this list, Tamil Nadu ranked first with 5,320 cases, Maharashtra second with 4,829 cases, and Uttar Pradesh third with 3,671 cases.
Experts believe that this NCRB report presents not just crime statistics but also a picture of social inequality, women's insecurity, oppression of vulnerable sections, and administrative challenges. The continuously rising crime rates have questioned the functioning of the state government and police administration. Social organizations argue that strict laws alone are insufficient for crime control; there is also a need for grassroots education, social awareness, sensitive policing, and a swift justice system.
In a conversation with The Mooknayak, the state president of the Congress Scheduled Tribe department, Ramu Tekam, strongly attacked the state government over the NCRB report. He said the continuous increase in crimes against the tribal community in Madhya Pradesh is highly concerning. The state reaching first place in atrocities against STs proves that the law and order situation has completely collapsed. He alleged that tribal society continues to be a victim of violence, exploitation, land grabs, and social oppression, but the government has failed to act with sensitivity.
Ramu Tekam stated that the government is busy only with announcements and advertisements, while the tribal community feels insecure at the ground level. He said rising crimes against women, children, and vulnerable sections prove that the fear of law among criminals is gone. Tekam demanded special monitoring of atrocity cases against tribals, fast-track court hearings for speedy justice, and immediate justice and security for victim families.
In a conversation with The Mooknayak, former member of the State Women's Commission, Sangeeta Sharma, expressed concern over rising crimes against women and children, stating that the NCRB report highlights the horrific situation for women and girls in Madhya Pradesh. She said the continuously rising cases of rape, kidnapping, dowry deaths, and POCSO prove that the government has completely failed to ensure the safety of women and children. Sangeeta Sharma alleged that the fear of law among criminals is gone and victims are not getting timely justice, due to which such incidents are continuously increasing.
In a conversation with The Mooknayak, leader of the Azad Samaj Party, Sunil Asteya, targeted the state government over the NCRB report, saying that the most atrocities in Madhya Pradesh are occurring against tribals, Dalits, women, and children, but the government remains a mute spectator. He said rising crime proves that law and order has completely failed in the state. Asteya alleged that the government has failed to protect vulnerable sections, and the lack of strict action against criminals is continuously emboldening them.
In a conversation with The Mooknayak, leader of the Gondwana Ganatantra Party, Aman Singh Porte, attacked the BJP government over the NCRB report, saying the rising crimes against the tribal community in the state are highly concerning. He alleged that during the BJP government's tenure, incidents of atrocities, violence, and exploitation against the tribal community have continuously increased. Porte stated that the government has failed to protect the safety and rights of tribals, due to which the vulnerable section feels insecure.
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