Delhi leads in minor murderers, Maharashtra-Bihar also on top – NCRB

Country The face of crime in India is changing rapidly and the most worrying change is that now the role of minors in heinous crimes like murder is continuously increasing. NCRB’s 2024 report puts forward this trend with very clear and uncomfortable figures.

National picture: More than 34 thousand cases, minors involved in 1,120 murders

According to the report, minor accused were found in a total of 34,878 cases in 2024, which shows an increase of 11.2% compared to the previous year. Of these, 1,120 cases are related to murder (Section 103/104 BNS or IPC 302). The most important thing is that the age group of 16 to 18 years has become the center of this crime trend. Of the total minor accused, 77.7 percent belong to this age group. This trend is clearly visible in murder cases also. In the 16–18 age group, only 20 girls were caught compared to 1,212 boys, meaning boys are clearly in the lead in violent crimes.

Top 10 states: Where most murders are committed by minors

Data at the state level also tell the story of socio-economic disparities and regional pressures.

Maharashtra – 128 cases
Bihar – 122 cases
Haryana – 102 cases
Madhya Pradesh – 101 cases
Tamil Nadu – 100 cases
Chhattisgarh – 72 cases
Rajasthan – 66 cases
Gujarat – 54 cases
Telangana – 41 cases
Punjab – 40 cases

Maharashtra and Bihar continue to top the list, indicating that the roots of crime in big states are deep and complex. Interestingly, in a big state like Uttar Pradesh this number stood at 35, which is comparatively less.

Top 10 cities: Delhi becomes ‘outlier’

The situation appears more acute in metropolitan cities. A total of 266 murder cases involving minors were found in 19 cities with a population of more than 2 million.

Delhi – 134 cases
Mumbai – 33 cases
Nagpur – 17 cases
Bengaluru – 8 cases
Ahmedabad – 7 cases
Pune – 7 cases
Indore – 5 cases
Chennai – 4 cases
Kanpur – 4 cases
Hyderabad – 3 cases

Delhi alone has emerged as the biggest hotspot with more than 50% of the cases (134). Maharashtra’s Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune together recorded 57 cases—indicating that the density of crime is higher in urban clusters.

Warning before murder: ‘Attempt to murder’ statistics

There is another dangerous layer hidden behind the murder figures. Attempt to Murder. For example, in Bihar, while there are 122 murder cases, 673 attempt to murder cases were also registered. This shows that patterns of violence do not occur suddenly, but develop gradually, where unless timely intervention is made, the crime becomes more serious.

What is the root problem?

NCRB figures are not just numbers but a social signal. Experts link this to the “process of socialization” and environmental influences, where factors such as family environment, economic pressures, urban stress, and digital exposure combine to push minors towards crime.

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The biggest threat is ’16-18 age group’

The most important conclusion of the entire data is that adolescents aged 16–18 years are emerging as the biggest challenge to India’s criminal justice system, especially in heinous crimes. The question is not just about law and order, it is a warning to society, family and policy makers. If timely intervention is not done in this age group, this trend may take a more dangerous form in the coming years.

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