Every 3-minutes in India, a child falls victim to crime:Every 8-minutes, a POCSO case is filed; MP most unsafe state for kids, Rajasthan ranks 4th

Across the country, classrooms echoed with songs and parades for Children’s Day. But behind the painted smiles and paper flags, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report stripped the celebration of joy. On the occasion of Children’s Day, being observed today country-wide, Bhaskar English team collected and collated the NCRB data related to child crime in India and compared it with the 4 major states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Gujarat. BE found that India registered 1,77,335 crimes against children in 2023, marking a 9.2% rise from the previous year. That means every three minutes, a child is victimised, and every eight minutes, a POCSO case is filed. Perhaps most disturbing, in over 90 percent of cases, the accused was known to the victim. The danger, it seems, no longer hides in dark alleys, it lives inside homes, classrooms, and neighbourhoods. Our children under threat The country’s crime rate against children climbed to 39.9 per lakh child population, up from 36.6 in 2022. The most common crimes include kidnapping and abduction (45%), sexual offences under POCSO (38%), and other forms of assault, exploitation, and trafficking (17%). The upward trend reflects not just growing crime, but also growing reporting awareness. However, experts caution that justice and rehabilitation still lag behind. Many cases stall at investigation, families withdraw complaints, and survivors are left to navigate trauma alone. Madhya Pradesh: The Dark Epicentre For the fifth consecutive year, Madhya Pradesh has earned the tragic distinction of being India’s worst state for crimes against children. From 19,173 cases in 2021 to 22,393 in 2023, the state accounts for nearly 13% of India’s total, an overwhelming share for a single region. The crime rate of 77.9 per lakh children is nearly double the national average, a stark indicator of systemic vulnerability. At the heart of this crisis lies Indore, the cleanest, fastest-growing city of India, and yet, one of its most unsafe for children. With 1,236 cases in 2023, Indore ranks 4th among the country’s metros for crime against children. Behind Indore’s glittering progress, activists say, are hidden stories of sexual assault, abduction, and trafficking, often by people within the child’s trusted circle. Indore: The Child Crime Capital of MP Experts say the crisis in Madhya Pradesh demands not only stronger policing, but community reform, child counselling, awareness campaigns, and gender sensitisation at school level. We can’t solve this with FIRs alone. We need empathy in enforcement. a police officer in Indore, said. Rajasthan: Between Honour and Harm Rajasthan, known for its rich traditions and proud heritage, continues to grapple with its shadows. In 2023, the state reported 10,577 crimes against children, a steep 38% rise in three years. Its crime rate of 37.6 matches the national average — but its social structures make justice harder to achieve. Jaipur, the state capital, saw 1,099 cases, ranking 6th among India’s metros. Most cases involve sexual violence, child marriage, and forced labour, often justified under social or economic compulsion. Jaipur: Rajasthan’s growing urban shadow Even as awareness campaigns spread, Rajasthan’s mix of patriarchy and poverty continues to trap children, especially girls, between fear and silence. Jaya Shashi Sharma, a child rights activist, says, It is encouraging that the POCSO Act has been implemented. However, there remains a serious lack of awareness about it. Children in rural and backward areas are still unaware of basic concepts such as good touch and bad touch, and often fail to recognize when crimes are committed against them. She explains that influential people often exert pressure on child victims and their families, making children the easiest targets of such crimes — and, tragically, the easiest to manipulate. A disturbing trend, she adds, is that in most cases the accused are known to the victims. Society tends to side with the accused and pressures victims and their families instead. Many survivors face social ostracism, and in some cases, their families even lose their livelihoods. Highlighting the plight of minor girls who become pregnant, she says their suffering multiplies. Despite SOPs and court directives, victims and their families are forced to shuttle between courts and hospitals to seek abortions. It is both physically and mentally traumatic. According to Sharma, relief funds are rarely disbursed on time, deepening the distress of victims. She also points out that identifying and supporting girls with disabilities continues to be one of the most overlooked challenges in child protection efforts. Gujarat: The Digital Trap Gujarat’s Digital Trap for Children At first glance, Gujarat’s numbers appear reassuring, 5,083 cases in 2023, and a crime rate of 24.3, below the national average. But a deeper look reveals a troubling trend: the rise of digital exploitation. Ahmedabad, which logged 832 cases (ranked 7th nationally), depict that predators now hunt in chat rooms, gaming apps, and social media spaces where children spend hours unsupervised. The predator doesn’t lurk in alleys anymore but inside the phone. Parents think their children are safe at home, but the danger comes through the internet. said Archana Panicker of Centre for Environmental Education (CEE), a child welfare NGO based in Gujarat. Ahmedabad: The digital frontline of child exploitation Urban centres like Ahmedabad and Surat saw more POCSO and kidnapping cases, typical of growing cities with higher migration and online exposure. West Bengal: The Culture of Silence West Bengal recorded 8,853 cases in 2023, slightly fewer than the previous year. But experts warn the drop reflects fear of reporting, not real improvement. With a crime rate of 29.5, the state sits below the national average, but the pattern of abuse remains deeply personal, crimes often committed by family members, neighbours, or tutors.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2023 report, Kolkata recorded 192 cases of sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Overall, the total number of crimes against children in the city dropped from 602 cases in 2022 to 297 cases in 2023. A child molested by a cousin is told to stay quiet because ‘he’s family. That silence is generational, passed down as loyalty, not fear. It’s our biggest collective failure. said a child right activist in Kolkata. Kolkata: Low numbers, high silence India’s most unsafe metros for children (NCRB 2023) A nation’s contradiction India celebrates Children’s Day each year as a tribute to innocence, yet the NCRB 2023 report reveals how fragile that innocence has become. From Indore’s glass towers to Kolkata’s crowded lanes, from Jaipur’s pink colour to Ahmedabad’s digital homes, children are increasingly unsafe not because of strangers, but because of the adults they trust. Reporting has improved but prevention hasn’t. These numbers don’t show justice. They show how exposed our children really are. said a senior official from the Women and Child Development Department, said. Dubious distinction Children’s Day: a hollow ritual The Crime in India 2023 report is not just a compilation of figures, it’s a mirror to the nation’s conscience. It exposes how India celebrates its children in words, but fails to protect them in reality. Until homes, schools, and communities become safer than silence, Children’s Day will remain a hollow ritual, a day that celebrates what we no longer guarantee: safety in childhood.