The number of murder cases in 2022, however, were less than what was reported 2021 and 2020
India recorded a total of 28,522 murder cases in 2022, an average of 78 killings every day or more than three every hour, according to the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The number of murder cases, however, came down from 29,272 in 2021 and 29,193 in 2020, the report titled "Crime in India-2022" showed.
Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of FIRs of murder at 3,491 in 2022 followed by Bihar (2,930), Maharashtra (2,295), Madhya Pradesh (1,978), Rajasthan (1,834), and West Bengal (1,696), data by the government agency showed.
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According to the NCRB, Sikkim (9), Nagaland (21), Mizoram (31), Goa (44), and Manipur (47) were the states with the least number of murder cases in 2022.
Among Union Territories, Delhi reported 509 cases of murder in 2022 followed by Jammu and Kashmir (99), Puducherry (30), Chandigarh (18), Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu (16), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (7), Ladakh (5) and Lakshadweep (Zero).
95.4 per cent of victims of murder were adults.
Of the total victims, 8,125 were female, while men constituted about 70 per cent. Nine third-gender persons were also among the murder victims last year.
Motives Behind Murder Cases In India
'Disputes' with 9,962 cases was the motive in the highest number of murder cases in 2022, the data showed.
Maharashtra recorded the highest number of cases of disputes at 1,130, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,045), Bihar (980), Madhya Pradesh (726) and Uttar Pradesh (710).
After disputes, 'personal vendetta or enmity' was on the list with as many as 3,761 such cases reported last year. Bihar (804), Madhya Pradesh (364) and Karnataka (353) topped that list.
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According to the NCRB data, dowry, witchcraft, child/human sacrifice, communal/religious, casteism, political reason, class conflict, honour killing, and love affairs were the other motives.
Family disputes, illicit relationships, extremism/insurgency, robberies, gang rivalry, property/land disputes, and petty quarrels were also the motives behind the murders in 2022.