Jaipur: Rajasthan recorded the highest number of rape cases in the country in 2024, marking the sixth consecutive year the state has led the national tally, according to the NCRB’s Crime in India 2024 report.The state registered 4,871 rape cases in 2024, ahead of Uttar Pradesh with 3,209, Maharashtra with 3,091 and Madhya Pradesh with 3,061. Although the number has declined from 5,078 in 2023 and the peak of 6,337 in 2021, Rajasthan has remained at the top since 2019.NCRB data showed Rajasthan recorded 5,997 rape cases in 2019, 5,310 in 2020, 6,337 in 2021, 5,399 in 2022, 5,078 in 2023 and 4,871 in 2024. Among metropolitan cities, Jaipur reported 497 rape cases in 2024, second only to Delhi, which recorded 1,058 cases.DGP Rajeev Kumar Sharma said Rajasthan’s figures remain high because the state has traditionally followed a policy of compulsory FIR registration.The report showed that in 4,795 of the 4,871 rape cases registered in Rajasthan, the accused were known to the victims, accounting for 98.4% of the total. Of these, 453 cases involved family members, while 2,129 involved friends, online friends, live-in partners on the pretext of marriage, or separated husbands. Only 76 cases involved unknown or unidentified offenders.Rajasthan also recorded the highest number of cases under assault on women with intent to outrage modesty, with 8,276 cases. The state further registered 778 cases of attempt to commit rape, 1,381 cases of sexual harassment and 38 cases of murder with rape or gang rape in 2024. Overall, Rajasthan recorded 36,563 cases of crimes against women in 2024, down from 45,450 in 2023 and 45,058 in 2022.NCRB also noted that higher crime figures do not necessarily indicate policing failure and may reflect improved reporting systems such as e-FIRs, women help desks and citizen-centric policing initiatives.Officials said investigation speed in crimes against women and children has improved. According to CCTNS data, the average investigation period in rape cases fell from 130 days in 2020 to 57 days in 2025. The NCRB data also showed that in crimes against women, 12,217 cases were later found to be false, while 5,168 cases were closed as mistakes of fact, law or civil disputes.
