Overview

• The NCRB report for 2023 shows Kolkata recorded 83.9 cognisable offences per lakh people, the lowest among 19 cities with populations over 20 lakh.
• Total cognisable cases in the city fell to 11,843 in 2023 from 12,213 in 2022 and 14,591 in 2021, extending a three-year decline.
• Reported crimes against women dropped to 1,746 in 2023 from 1,890 in 2022, with a rate of 25.7 per lakh that trails only Chennai and Coimbatore among low-rate metros.
• Despite the broader declines, murders rose to 43 in 2023 from 34 in 2022, though the figure remained below levels reported in 2021 and 2020.
• Kochi registered the highest crime rate at 3,192.4 per lakh, followed by Delhi and Surat, while a high-profile victim’s parents publicly questioned Kolkata’s ranking and alleged underreporting.