Kohima: Nagaland has recorded a sharp rise in crimes under Special and Local Laws (SLL) over the past three years, even as offences registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have remained relatively steady, according to the latest ‘Crime in India 2023’ report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The state registered a total of 1,899 cognizable cases in 2023, up from 1,592 in 2022 and 1,478 in 2021, reflecting an overall increase of nearly 28 per cent.
Of this, SLL cases accounted for the steepest climb — 445 in 2021, 584 in 2022, and 849 in 2023 — a 91 per cent jump in just three years.
Most of these offences were related to excise, narcotics, and other local administrative laws.
IPC crimes, by contrast, have remained largely stable: 1,033 cases in 2021, 1,008 in 2022, and 1,050 in 2023.
The state’s crime rate under IPC stood at 47 per lakh population, much lower than the national average of 270.3.
Property-related crimes formed a large share of these cases, rising steadily from 1,500 in 2021 to 1,851 in 2023, with theft and burglary being the leading categories.
The report noted that murder cases increased from 14 in 2021 to 19 in 2023, while kidnapping and abduction dropped from four to two during the same period.
Offences against public tranquillity, including rioting and unlawful assembly, were logged at 138 cases in 2023.
Arms and explosives-related crimes declined consistently, with just one case each under the Arms Act and Explosives Act in 2023.
Crimes against women and children remain negligible in the state.
Nagaland reported only three rape cases and one trafficking case in 2023, while its crime rate against women stood at 0.3 per lakh population compared to the national average of 66.2.
Child-related offences were also minimal, though 16 cases were registered under the Juvenile Justice Act in 2023. No cases were recorded under the POCSO Act over the last three years.
Technology-driven crimes, however, showed an upward trend, with cybercrime cases rising from two in 2021 to six in 2023.
Economic offences such as cheating, fraud, and forgery also grew, from 15 in 2021 to 27 in 2023.
The NCRB report further revealed that Nagaland reported no cases of crimes against senior citizens, atrocities against SCs/STs, environment-related crimes, crimes involving foreigners, or fake currency seizures during 2021–2023.
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With a projected mid-year population of 22.4 lakh, Nagaland’s total 1,899 cases in 2023 were the lowest among Northeast states.
Assam topped the list with 64,959 cases, followed by Manipur (20,283), Mizoram (4,050), Meghalaya (3,532), Arunachal Pradesh (2,941), Sikkim (718), while Nagaland remained at the bottom.
Even so, its combined rate of cognizable crimes (IPC+SLL) stood at 84.9, the lowest in the region, while other Northeastern states, including Sikkim, reported rates above 100.
