I was going through India’s Crime Statistics for 2010. These records tell more about the failure to report most crimes in India rather than what the actual crime rate in India is. According to the government’s statistics the highest reported crime rate is in Kerala, followed closely by Pondicherry. Sounds odd? Well, let’s have a look at the comprehensive list below-
| State | Crime Rate | Murder Rate | Crime Rank | Murder Rank |
| Kerala | 424.1 | 1 | 1 | 34 |
| Pondicherry | 352.3 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| Chandigarh | 299.8 | 1.9 | 3 | 30 |
| M.P. | 297.2 | 3.4 | 4 | 11 |
| Delhi | 279.8 | 3.1 | 5 | 14 |
| Tamil Nadu | 274.5 | 2.8 | 6 | 19 |
| Rajasthan | 242.8 | 2.1 | 7 | 25 |
| Karnataka | 242 | 3.1 | 8 | 15 |
| Haryana | 240.4 | 4.1 | 9 | 7 |
| Andamans | 226.9 | 2.1 | 10 | 26 |
| Chhattisgarh | 224 | 4.3 | 11 | 5 |
| Mizoram | 215.7 | 4.8 | 12 | 4 |
| Andhra | 215.7 | 3 | 13 | 16 |
| Gujarat | 200.1 | 1.8 | 14 | 31 |
| Assam | 199.1 | 3.9 | 15 | 8 |
| Arunachal | 197.5 | 6.1 | 16 | 1 |
| Himachal | 195.1 | 2 | 17 | 29 |
| Maharashtra | 189.2 | 2.5 | 18 | 22 |
| Goa | 188.9 | 2 | 19 | 27 |
| J&K | 173.8 | 1.6 | 20 | 33 |
| Tripura | 160.8 | 4.1 | 21 | 6 |
| West Bengal | 143.7 | 2.7 | 22 | 20 |
| Orissa | 138.3 | 3.2 | 23 | 13 |
| Punjab | 134.4 | 3.3 | 24 | 12 |
| D&N | 133.6 | 2.1 | 25 | 24 |
| Bihar | 131.1 | 3.5 | 26 | 9 |
| Jharkhand | 125.7 | 5.5 | 27 | 2 |
| Daman | 101.5 | 2.5 | 28 | 21 |
| Manipur | 100.5 | 3.4 | 29 | 10 |
| Meghalaya | 96 | 5.1 | 30 | 3 |
| Uttarakhand | 94.1 | 1.8 | 31 | 32 |
| Sikkim | 90.5 | 2.8 | 32 | 18 |
| U.P. | 87.5 | 2.2 | 33 | 23 |
| Lakshadweep | 58.3 | 0 | 34 | 35 |
| Nagaland | 47.1 | 2 | 35 | 28 |
Kerala ranks 1st for crime rate, but 34th for murders. Jharkhand ranks 2nd in murders, but 27th in crime. For the first time the great Indian murder mystery sounds more intriguing than Rashomon. Right? Well, here is the solution.
When one looks at the murder rate, Kerala is actually the second safest place in India. I guess the disparity is because of the fact that murders are more likely to be reported than other crimes. There is a reporting problem, and better developed states report all crimes- both murder and otherwise – fairly well, while poorer states only report murders consistently.
Having said that, there is another theory worth considering. What if the government’s statistics are correct? Then, perhaps, wealthier states just have more opportunities for things to be stolen or fraud perpetrated, etc., but have better solved the murder problem. Therefore, their crime rates are higher, even if you are less likely to be murdered there. Anyways. Take care.
सौरभ राय | Sourav Roy 