VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh recorded a decline in overall crime cases in 2024, according to the Crime in India 2024 report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The State registered 1,68,788 IPC/BNS and Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes in 2024, compared to 1,84,293 cases in 2023, and 1,95,284 cases in 2022, reflecting an 8.4% drop over the previous year.
The report stated that AP’s crime rate stood at 316.1 cases per one lakh population in 2024, lower than the national average of 418.9. The State’s mid-year projected population for 2024 was estimated at 534 lakh. The chargesheeting rate in AP stood at 90.7%.
At the national level, India recorded 58.85 lakh crimes in 2024, down from 62.41 lakh cases in 2023, marking a decline of 5.7%.
The NCRB report also highlighted trends related to human trafficking. AP ranked third in the country in the number of human trafficking cases registered through Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs). Telangana reported the highest number of 423 cases, followed by Maharashtra with 337 and AP with 159 cases. AP had registered 163 human trafficking cases in 2022 and 120 in 2023 before the figure rose to 159 in 2024.
AP sees dip in crimes against women, kidnaps
Of the 159 cases registered in the State in 2024, 41 were booked under human trafficking provisions, while 116 cases related to exploitation of trafficked persons. One case each was registered under procuration for prostitution and procuration of children.
A total of 213 victims were identified in trafficking-related cases in AP in 2024, including 23 minors below the age of 18 and 190 adults.
The report stated that AHTUs have been strengthened across the country with financial support from the Ministry of Home Affairs. As many as 819 AHTUs are currently functional nationwide, and 20 States and Union Territories have established such units in all districts.
Crime against women in AP also showed a decline over the last three years. The State registered 19,952 cases of crime against women in 2024, compared to 22,418 cases in 2023 and 25,503 in 2022. Police arrested 17,149 persons in connection with crimes against women, while chargesheets were filed in 94.4% of cases.
Among the cases registered in 2024 were 9,165 incidents of cruelty by husbands or relatives, 843 cases of sexual harassment, 441 rape cases, 102 attempted rape cases, 977 stalking cases, 2,389 assault cases against women, and seven cases involving rape and murder. The State also recorded 30 kidnap cases related to marriage.
Kidnap cases in AP declined to 472 in 2024 from 746 in 2023 and 903 in 2022. However, a total of 865 kidnap cases remained pending during the year, including 393 cases carried over from previous years. Police filed chargesheets in 67.8% of the pending cases. By the end of 2024, 282 males and 583 females remained untraced.
The report further showed a marginal decline in murders in AP, with 898 cases recorded in 2024 compared to 922 in 2023. Of the total murders reported in 2024, 448 were linked to disputes. These included 199 family-related disputes, 136 petty disputes, 54 property or land disputes, 54 money disputes, and five murders related to water disputes.
NCRB data showed that AP’s cognizable crime rate under IPC/BNS stood at 217.4 cases per one lakh population, lower than national average of 252.3.