Nagaland records rise in special and local laws crimes: NCRB report

Nagaland has seen a marked rise in crimes under Special and Local Laws (SLL) from 2021 to 2023, even as crimes under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have remained relatively stable, according to the Crime in India 2023 report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The state reported a total of 1,899 cognizable crime cases in 2023, up from 1,592 cases in 2022 and 1,478 cases in 2021, marking a growth of around 28 per cent over three years.

IPC-related cases showed minimal fluctuation: 1,033 in 2021, 1,008 in 2022, and 1,050 in 2023. The crime rate under IPC in Nagaland stands at 47 per lakh population, significantly lower than the national average of 270.3.

Murder cases rose gradually from 14 in 2021 to 19 in 2023, while kidnapping and abduction cases declined from four to two in the same period. Offences against public tranquillity, including rioting and unlawful assembly, were recorded at 138 cases in 2023.

In stark contrast, SLL crimes surged sharply — from 445 cases in 2021 to 849 cases in 2023, an increase of nearly 91 per cent in three years. These offences largely relate to excise violations, narcotics, and breaches of local administrative laws. The SLL crime rate for Nagaland stands at 38 per lakh population, lower than the national average of 178.0.

Crimes against women remain minimal, with only two rape cases in 2021, one in 2022, and three in 2023, along with one case of trafficking. The crime rate against women in Nagaland is 0.3 per lakh women population, far below the national figure of 66.2.

Crimes against children are also low, with two cases in 2021, one in 2022, and one in 2023. However, there were 16 cases under the Juvenile Justice Act in 2023, while no cases under the POCSO Act were reported during the period.

Nagaland has recorded an upward trend in technology-linked and financial crimes. Cybercrime cases increased from two in 2021 to six in 2023, while economic offences such as cheating, fraud, and forgery rose from 15 cases in 2021 to 27 in 2023.

Property crimes form the bulk of IPC cases, growing steadily from about 1,500 cases in 2021 to 1,851 in 2023, with theft and burglary leading. Arms and explosives-related offences declined steadily, with only one case each in 2023.

Nagaland, with a mid-year projected population of 22.4 lakh, recorded the lowest total cognizable crime cases in the Northeast. By comparison, Arunachal Pradesh reported 2,941 cases, Assam 64,959, Manipur 20,283, Meghalaya 3,532, Mizoram 4,050, and Sikkim 718.

The NCRB data shows Nagaland’s overall crime rate (IPC + SLL) at 84.9 per lakh population, the lowest among Northeastern states, while all others, including Sikkim, have rates exceeding 100 per lakh.