According to the ‘Crime in India 2023’ report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Tuesday, Pune has witnessed a disturbing upward trend in multiple categories of crime.
The city reported a 36.4 percent increase in cybercrime cases over 2022, a 23 percent rise in crimes against women, and an alarming 68 percent spike in crimes against children. These figures point to growing vulnerabilities in both the digital and physical spaces of everyday life.
Cybercrime Surge
Cybercrime has emerged as one of the most pressing threats to Pune. From 225 cases in 2021, the number climbed to 357 in 2022 and 487 in 2023.
While financial frauds accounted for the majority of cases, Pune also reported task frauds, share trading scams, online extortion, identity thefts, cyberstalking, and cases of obscene material circulation.
Despite a 94 percent overall chargesheeting rate under IPC and SLL in the city, cybercrime showed only a 48.3 percent chargesheeting rate, indicating how challenging it is for law enforcement to secure convictions in digital crimes.
Crimes Against Women
Pune registered 2,550 cases of crimes against women in 2023, compared to 2,074 in 2022, marking a 23 percent rise.
These included six dowry deaths, 46 cases of abetment of suicide, 609 cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives, 588 assaults to outrage modesty, 196 rapes, and several cases of stalking and sexual harassment.
While the rise is worrying, police officials point to a silver lining: greater awareness and confidence among women in reporting offences have contributed to the higher figures.
Crimes Against Children – A Disturbing Spike
The most concerning trend, however, has been in crimes against children. Pune registered 1,234 such cases in 2023, a 68.6 percent jump from 732 in 2022.
These included 764 kidnapping and abduction cases, 432 under the POCSO Act, and incidents of murder, abandonment, and abetment of suicide.
The NCRB’s national figures confirm that this is not just a local problem: India as a whole recorded 1,77,335 cases of crime against children in 2023, showing a 9.2 percent increase over 2022.
Why Parents Must Remain Extra Vigilant
This sharp rise underlines a bitter truth: children are the most vulnerable members of society, and perpetrators often exploit familiarity and trust. In many cases, the offenders are not strangers, but close relatives, friends of the family, or acquaintances—people whom the child already knows and trusts.
Parents, therefore, must take proactive steps:
- Never leave children completely alone, whether at home, in public, or online.
- Educate both boys and girls in age-appropriate ways about personal safety, safe and unsafe touch, and the importance of speaking up when something feels wrong.
- Normalize conversations around threats—without instilling fear, but ensuring that children are aware of the “evil eyes” that may lurk even within familiar circles.
- Monitor online activity, since the internet has become a major platform for grooming and exploitation.
The responsibility cannot rest solely on law enforcement; it begins at home. Awareness, open dialogue, and vigilance are the strongest shields that parents can give their children in a time when crimes are not only increasing but also becoming more insidious.
In essence, the NCRB data on Pune paints a stark reminder: as crimes become more sophisticated and pervasive, families must become more alert and children must be taught to recognize danger—even when it comes disguised as familiarity.
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