Violent crimes in Gujarat rose by 32% in two years: NCRB

Vadodara: For decades, Gujarat has had the reputation of being among the country's most peaceful and safe states. The figures recently released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2024 show a different picture. Violent crimes have increased sharply in the state, from 9,015 cases in 2022 to 11,967 in 2024 — a 32% increase in two years.The report points shows that cases of assault and other violent acts have gone up. From 9,105 cases in 2022, the numbers dipped a bit to 8,976 in 2023, violent crime shot up in 2024. The crime rate — cases per 1 lakh people — in 2024 was 16.5. The data shows that the highest number of violent offences were those of causing grievous hurt.The data points to an alarming increase in assault and brutality, with grievous hurt cases touching 6,968. Murder cases remain significant, with 964 people murdered in 2024. The number of murders in 2023 was 968. In 2024, 839 incidents of attempted murder were reported, while 1,247 cases of kidnapping were registered."Overall, incidence of violent crime is increasing. There are various factors behind it but one key reason is the heightened intolerance levels. People are losing their tempers quickly and becoming violent due to the frustrations of modern life," said Dr Gautam Amin, a Vadodara-based psychiatrist."Stress levels are high due to the competitive environment and social media has added further pressure on people due to constant comparisons. We also see a lot of road rage incidents which wasn't the case in Gujarat earlier," Amin told TOI.One major reason behind the murders in the recent times is petty quarrels. According to the NCRB figures, 292 murders happened in 2024 due to petty quarrels. The data reveals that 144 murders happened due to love affairs and 52 because of illicit relationships. Enmity was responsible for 192 murders and 79 were killed due to family disputes. Three murders also happened due to witchcraft in Gujarat.