Guwahati, May 8 (IANS) Assam Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Friday said the state had witnessed one of the sharpest declines in crime rates in the country, citing the latest “Crime in India 2024” report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Sharing details in a post on X, the minister said Assam registered 49,552 criminal cases in 2024, a significant decline from 64,959 cases recorded in 2023 and 68,937 cases in 2022.

According to the data highlighted by the minister, the state recorded an overall decline of nearly 28 per cent in crime cases over the past two years.

He said Assam’s present crime rate stood at 137 cases per one lakh population, which was far below the national average of 418 cases per lakh population reported by the NCRB.

The minister also pointed to a notable improvement in the state’s charge-sheeting rate, which increased to 67.1 per cent in 2024 from below 50 per cent in earlier years.

He said the rise in charge-sheeting reflected faster investigations, improved coordination among law enforcement agencies and stronger legal follow-up mechanisms.

Mallabaruah attributed the improvement in the law-and-order situation to sustained governance initiatives, enhanced policing measures and coordinated efforts undertaken by the state administration over the past few years.

He stated that Assam, which had long struggled with insurgency, unrest and security-related challenges, was gradually entering a new phase marked by peace, stability and economic progress.

The minister further said that a stable law-and-order environment was essential for attracting investments and accelerating development activities across the state.

Officials said the state government had in recent years intensified efforts to modernise policing infrastructure, improve surveillance systems and strengthen intelligence networks to curb criminal activities.

According to officials, the NCRB report reflected the changing security landscape in Assam and indicated improving public safety indicators across several districts.

They added that the government remained committed to further strengthening policing and maintaining peace to support the state’s development agenda and investor confidence.

–IANS

tdr/pgh