The date released by the National Crime Records Bureau says crimes against children in Delhi came down in 2016, but the city was still ahead of the 18 other metropolitan cities under this head.

The numbers of reported cases of crimes against children in Delhi dropped from 8,035 in 2015 to 7,392 in 2016. Next on the list is Mumbai with 3,400 cases and Bengaluru with 1,333 cases. Most of the cases reported were of kidnapping and abduction, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and child rape.

Juveniles apprehended

The number of juveniles apprehended last year was also the highest in the Capital. A total of 9,341 juveniles, in the age group of 16-18, were apprehended in 6,645 cases. In fact, the percentage of crimes committed by juveniles increased by 19.5% — from 1,981 in 2015 to 2,368 in 2016.

Crimes against women also remained highest in the Delhi among the 19 metropolitan cities in the country. Delhi reported 33% of the total cases registered in 2016, mostly under the head of ‘cruelty by husband or his relatives’, ‘assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty’ and ‘kidnapping and abduction’.

Delhi reported a total of 13,803 cases, followed by Mumbai with 5,128 cases. The number of rapes reported remained at an alarming high of nearly 2,000 in the city.

Interestingly, cybercrime in Delhi has come down from 169 in 2015 to 90 last year.

In 2016, most number of offences against property was reported in Delhi at 65% of the total, followed by Bengaluru and Mumbai accounting for 5.4% and 5.1%.

The NCRB data says most of the complaints under offences against property head were about auto thefts and Delhi reported the maximum number at 37,147.