KOCHI: Kochi has got the dubious distinction of being ranked third in the number of crimes reported as a percentage of the population among the 19 major cities of India, as per the recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.
According to the NCRB data for 2021 released recently, Kochi was ranked third with 1,603.7 crimes per one lakh people. Delhi, which is ranked number one, is the crime capital of the country, with 1,859.0 crimes per lakh people, while Surat is in the second position with 1,675.0 crimes per lakh people.
Though the crime rate per lakh population is high in Kochi, the rate of serious crimes under IPC is less in the city. The main reason for the high crime rate is that the Kerala police register cases even for minor offences. “The police have become more approachable in the state. Also, registration of a case even for a minor offence is the right move to deter a major offence. It’s a proven strategy in checking major crimes,” said Indian Criminology and Forensic Science Association president and criminologist Febin Baby.
Ahmedabad with 1,518.5 per lakh people and Chennai with 1,325.3 crimes followed Kochi in fourth and fifth spot, respectively. According to the data, 33,967 IPC and SLL (not serious crimes) crimes were reported in Kochi in 2021.
The same was 18,315 and 36,243 in the year 2020 and 2019, respectively. Though Kochi stands third in crime as per the data, it is in the top four cities in terms of the charge-sheeting rate. As per the data, 97.7% is the charge-sheeting rate of Kochi. With 98.4%, Surat in Gujarat stands first in this.