Chhattisgarh records highest senior citizen murder rate in India: NCRB

Raipur, Sep 30 (PTI) Chhattisgarh has recorded the highest rate of senior citizen murders in India in 2023, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said in its annual report.

According to the report, the state stood fourth in the country in terms of crime rate against senior citizens (aged 60 years and above) at 89.7 (1,798) in 2023.

India registered 27,886 cases of crimes against senior citizens in 2023, a marginal dip from 28,545 in 2022.

The crime rate is calculated as crimes per one lakh of population. Chhattisgarh has an estimated population of around 3.03 crore. There are 28 states and eight Union Territories in the country, it said.

The report stated that the highest rate of murder of senior citizens was recorded in Chhattisgarh (3.6), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (3.1) and Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (2.7), against the national average of 1.2.

Chhattisgarh has reported 73 deaths of senior citizens in 72 cases of murder (six incidents every month) in 2023, while Arunachal Pradesh recorded two murders in two cases, Madhya Pradesh recorded 156 murders in 155 incidents, and Tamil Nadu recorded 211 deaths in 201 incidents, it said.

Delhi stood at the top position with 1,361 cases and the highest crime rate of 118.6 per one lakh elderly population, followed by Madhya Pradesh (100.4), Chandigarh (99.9) and Chhattisgarh (89.7).

The NCRB data also highlighted a steady rise in crimes against senior citizens in Chhattisgarh, with 1,408 cases in 2021, followed by 1,632 in 2022, and 1,798 in 2023.

As many as 2,521 persons, including 2,307 men and 214 women, were arrested in crimes against senior citizens in Chhattisgarh in 2023, while 2,457 were charge-sheeted.

As many as 235 persons were convicted, 45 were discharged, and 392 were acquitted in cases of crimes against senior citizens, the report stated.

In 2023, 1,520 cases of such crimes went to trial in Chhattisgarh, while 5,032 cases from the previous year are pending. PTI TKP ARU