Startling new figures from the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), released this Tuesday, reveal a disturbing truth: Bengaluru alone accounted for more dowry cases in 2023 than 18 other major Indian metro cities combined.
With a staggering 1,013 dowry cases reported, Bengaluru topped the national list, dwarfing numbers from other significant urban centers like Patna (104 cases) and Lucknow (19 cases).
A senior police official noted that Bengaluru’s higher reporting rates might reflect a positive shift. ‘In Bengaluru, almost all families have working members, and women are increasingly empowered to file complaints,’ the officer explained. ‘This is largely due to the growing influence and support of pro-women groups in the city, who actively encourage victims to come forward and report dowry-related abuses.’
Mixed Trends in State-wide Crime Data
While dowry cases surged, Karnataka also experienced a broader increase in other sensitive crime categories. The state saw a 14.16% jump in crimes targeting women, an 11.78% increase in offenses against children, and a 16.23% rise in crimes affecting senior citizens.
DCP Akshay Hakay Machhindra of Central Bengaluru highlighted the city’s strong surveillance infrastructure. He attributed the proactive registration of cases related to crimes against women to a combination of factors: active social media platforms, vigilant witnesses reporting assaults, and comprehensive CCTV coverage across the city.
In a contrasting development, Karnataka observed slight declines in murder and atrocity cases. Murders decreased from 1,404 in 2022 to 1,322 in 2023. Atrocities against Scheduled Castes saw a drop from 1,977 to 1,923, while those against Scheduled Tribes marginally decreased from 438 to 434.
The picture in Bengaluru city, however, remained grim, with no significant crime category showing a decline. The state capital witnessed alarming spikes: a 27.41% increase in violent crimes, a 19.07% rise in murders, and a 22.41% surge in abductions. Furthermore, crimes against women jumped by 24.10%, against children by 25.60%, and against senior citizens by a staggering 41.70%. Atrocities against Scheduled Castes also rose by 23.37%. The sole exception to this upward trend was atrocities against Scheduled Tribes, which remained constant with 16 reported cases in both 2022 and 2023.
Beyond specific crime types, road accidents tragically claimed 12,322 lives, placing Karnataka fifth nationally among states and union territories. Suicides also continued to be a grave concern, with 13,330 deaths recorded, making it the fourth highest in the country, following Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh.