October 2, 2025

Can you believe it? Right now might just be the safest time to be alive in India! The latest report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reveals that murder rates have dropped to their lowest since data tracking began back in 1957. In 1957, India’s murder rate was 2.57 per lakh people. Fast forward to 2023, and this number has fallen to 2.25 — a promising drop that shows how safety has improved. But the path wasn’t smooth. The murder rate slowly climbed over the decades, peaking in the 1990s. Then, the trend reversed. The rate dipped below 4 per lakh in 2001 and went even lower, under 3 per lakh in 2013. So, it’s been a steady march toward safety over the last two decades. Looking at states with more than 1,000 murder and culpable homicide cases, Jharkhand unfortunately tops the list with a rate of 3.8 per lakh. It is followed by Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Odisha, and Telangana — all reporting rates at or above 3. These numbers remind us that while the overall trend brightens, some places still face challenges. What about the global stage? According to World Bank data from 2020, Japan leads as the safest country, with an incredibly low murder rate of just 0.3 per lakh people. On the other hand, South Africa was found to be the most dangerous, underlining how murder rates can differ widely worldwide. So, does this mean we can breathe easy? While crime never fully disappears, the data shows that India is moving in the right direction. With steady efforts and strong law enforcement, the dream of a safer India seems closer than ever. Would you have guessed we are living in the safest times in decades?

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Tags: Murder rate, India crime statistics, Ncrb data, Global safety, Crime trends,