Over 1.16 lakh kidnapping, abduction cases reported in 2023, 18,000 of them elopement cases: NCRB

NEW DELHI: Over 1.16 lakh cases of kidnapping and abduction were reported across the country in 2023, of which nearly 18,000 cases -- involving 9,000 children and 8,800 adults -- were of elopement, according to the latest report from the National Crime Records Bureau.

In 2023, a total of 1,13,564 kidnapping and abduction cases were registered, showing an increase of over 5.6 per cent from 2022 when 1,07,588 cases were lodged, it said.

Delhi, with 5,715 cases of kidnapping and abduction with 26 per cent rate (crime per lakh population), presented the worst picture among states and UTs across the country.

The rate of charge sheets in such cases remained at a poor 6.6 per cent in the national capital, according to the data given in the report.

Kidnapping or abduction for marriage remained a prominent reason for these crimes with 16,866 children and 15,790 adults taken away for the reason, the report said.

It was followed by people kidnapped for "unlawful activities" with 1,218 children and 740 adults added to the data set.

When recovered alive it surfaced that 9,251 children and 8,853 adults had left home for elopement and love relationships to be with their lovers while 9,161 children and 6,413 adults had left home by their own will or scolding by parents.

Children constituted 70 per cent of over 1.16 lakh victims kidnapped or abducted in states and union territories across the country in 2023, the report said.

In 2023, 82,106 children were kidnapped which comprised 16,033 men, 66,072 women and one transgender while 34,298 were adults.

Among adults too 75 per cent were females i.e 26,042 were females, 8,252 males and four transgenders.

Nearly 68 per cent of the kidnapped persons were recovered which includes both alive and dead victims even as 66268 remain unrecovered.

"During 2023, a total of 1,40,813 kidnapped or abducted persons (31,837 male, 1,08,971 female and 5 transgender) were recovered out of which 1,39,164 persons were recovered alive and 1,649 persons were found dead," it said.

The data of total recovered, recovery percentage and unrecovered may also include victims kidnapped in previous years which have been found in 2023, it said.

The disposal of cases related to kidnapping and abduction, not necessarily those registered in 2023, remained abysmal with just 37 per cent of 1,80,591 under investigation cases being charge sheeted while only 20.2 per cent of the total 3,51,090 cases before courts ending in the conviction of the accused.

In 19 metropolitan cities with a population of one million or more, 15,039 cases of kidnapping and abduction were registered during 2023, showing an increase of 7.5 per cent over 2022 when 13,984 cases.

"During 2023, a total of 15,181 kidnapped or abducted persons (4,914 male and 10,267 female) were recovered out of which 15,167 persons were recovered alive and 14 were found dead," the data set pertaining to Metropolitan cities said.