Haryana recorded the highest rate of crime against children among states in 2024, according to the “Crime in India-2024” report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The state recorded 7,547 crimes against children in 2024, which was 17.9 per cent more than in 2023, when 6,401 incidents were reported.
Based on the child population as per the 2011 Census, the rate of crime against children came to 82.8 cases per lakh population in Haryana — the highest among the states — in 2024. Madhya Pradesh recorded the second-highest crime rate against children at 76.2 cases per lakh population.
However, when the union territories are also taken into account, Delhi, with 138.4 cases per lakh population, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with 122.9 cases per lakh population, have higher rates of crime against children than Haryana.
In 2024, Haryana recorded 54 cases of murder of children, including six of rape and murder. There were 2,725 cases of kidnapping and abduction of children involving 2,805 victims, including 530 missing children.
The state also recorded eight cases of infanticide, 39 cases of abandonment and 12 cases of foeticide. Besides, 28 cases of child marriage were also reported.
There were 241 cases of kidnapping, abduction, or inducing girls to compel them for marriage under Section 366 of the IPC.
A total of 2,116 cases were registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, involving 2,138 victims.
Under Section 4 (punishment for penetrative sexual assault) and Section 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 1,557 cases were registered involving 1,568 victims — 1,487 girls and 81 boys.
Similarly, in molestation cases under Sections 8 (punishment for sexual assault) and 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act, there were 455 girl victims and eight boy victims.
In sexual harassment cases under the Act, there were 96 girl victims and a boy victim.
According to the NCRB report, the Haryana Police disposed of 7,368 cases of crimes against children in 2024. Of these, 3,967 cases were declared false, accounting for 53.8 per cent of the disposed cases.
Chargesheets were filed in 2,726 cases and the chargesheet rate was 37 per cent.
In 2024, court trials were completed in 2,049 cases of crimes against children in the state. Of these, 1,450 cases resulted in acquittals, while 10 ended in discharge. Convictions took place in 589 cases, with the conviction rate being a mere 28.7 per cent.
