Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 9: Karnataka’s capital, widely known as the Silicon City and Garden City, has once again drawn national attention — this time for an alarming reason. Bengaluru has reported the highest number of dowry harassment cases in the country, according to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

In 2023 alone, the city recorded 1,013 complaints related to dowry harassment — the highest among 18 metro cities, the NCRB report stated. In comparison, Patna registered 104 cases, while Lucknow recorded only 19.

Police officials, quoted by The Hindu, said that the high numbers do not necessarily mean crimes are rising drastically but also indicate that more women are now coming forward to report harassment and domestic abuse.

The NCRB data shows that overall crimes against women, children, and senior citizens in Karnataka rose by more than 14% in 2023. Bengaluru, in particular, witnessed a surge across multiple categories including assault, murder, abduction, and crimes against senior citizens. Crimes against women in the city alone rose by over 24%.

The report also highlighted that Karnataka continues to record high casualties in road accidents, with 12,322 deaths reported in 2023. In addition, more than 13,000 people died by suicide in the state, painting a grim picture of public safety and mental health.