Bengaluru: The city reported more dowry cases than the combined total of 18 other metro cities in 2023, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report published on Tuesday. With 1,013 cases, Bengaluru emerged as the city with the highest number of dowry-related complaints in the country. Patna came a distant second with 104 cases, followed by Lucknow with 19.
Bengaluru leads with highest dowry complaints
The NCRB data has placed Bengaluru at the top of the chart, a statistic that highlights both the persistence of dowry-related disputes and the city’s proactive reporting mechanism. Senior police officials attribute this spike not only to the prevalence of dowry demands but also to women’s growing willingness to lodge complaints.
“In Bengaluru, we find that nearly all families have working members, and most women now do not hesitate to file a complaint. This can be credited to the active pro-women groups in the city, which have grown stronger over the years, motivating victims to report dowry issues,” a senior police officer told The Hindu.
Rising crimes against women, children, and senior citizens
The NCRB report shows Karnataka as a whole witnessed a worrying increase in crimes against vulnerable groups. The State reported a 14.16% rise in crimes against women, an 11.78% increase in crimes against children, and a 16.23% jump in crimes targeting senior citizens in 2023 compared to 2022.
Bengaluru city reflected this trend, with sharp increases in most categories of crime. The data recorded:
- 27.41% rise in violent crimes
- 19.07% rise in murders
- 22.41% rise in abductions
- 24.10% rise in crimes against women
- 25.60% rise in crimes against children
- 41.70% rise in crimes against senior citizens
- 23.37% rise in atrocities against Scheduled Castes
Atrocities against Scheduled Tribes remained unchanged, with 16 cases reported in both 2022 and 2023.
DCP credits surveillance and awareness for proactive reporting
Akshay Hakay Machhindra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Central, said the city’s robust surveillance system, combined with awareness drives, social media activism, and widespread CCTV coverage, has contributed to higher reporting of crimes. “Over the years, a combination of social media platforms, witnesses reporting assaults, and effective CCTV monitoring has ensured proactive registration of cases related to crimes against women,” he noted.
Decline in murders statewide but not in Bengaluru
Interestingly, while Karnataka overall saw a decline in certain categories of crime, Bengaluru stood out as an exception. Statewide murders dropped from 1,404 in 2022 to 1,322 in 2023. Similarly, atrocities against Scheduled Castes decreased from 1,977 to 1,923, and cases against Scheduled Tribes marginally fell from 438 to 434. However, in Bengaluru, none of these categories showed a decline, suggesting a troubling rise in urban crime.
Road accidents and suicides continue to be major concerns
The report also shed light on other worrying statistics. Road accidents in Karnataka claimed 12,322 lives in 2023, ranking the State fifth among all States and Union Territories. Suicides remained a pressing issue, with 13,330 deaths recorded — the fourth highest in the country, after Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh.
Conclusion
The NCRB data paints a mixed picture for Karnataka — with overall declines in certain violent crimes at the State level, but alarming rises in urban centres like Bengaluru. The city’s record-high dowry cases underline both the persistence of entrenched social evils and the growing courage among women to seek justice. While authorities cite improved surveillance and awareness, the sharp rise in crimes against women, children, and senior citizens calls for urgent, multi-layered interventions to make Bengaluru safer.