Source: ‘Crime in India (Various Years), NCRB, MHA
• Overall crimes lowest among states, decline for 4th consecutive years
• Offences against property tops crimes in 2021
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 7
At 67.2 persons per 1 lakh population, the rate of the cognisable crimes in Nagaland was lowest among the states in India but ‘extortion’ continues to remain a big issue as the State recorded the highest rate of crime under ‘extortion and blackmailing’ in 2021 as per an all-India report.
The latest ‘Crime in India 2021’ released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) put the rate of crime for ‘extortion and blackmailing’ in Nagaland at 7.6, the highest among the States/Union Territories (UTs). The national average during the same period was just 0.8 in 2021 and the closest to Nagaland was Arunachal Pradesh at 5.3.
The crime rate is calculated as ‘crime incidence’ per one lakh of population, according to the NCRB.
In terms of actual incidences/cases, Nagaland registered 159 crimes designated as ‘extortion and blackmailing’ in 2021. The number of cases fall from 201 in 2019 to 131 in 2020, but increased to 159 in 2021.
Analysis of data up from 2014 when the NCRB began to publish specific data on ‘extortion and blackmailing’ under ‘Offences against Property’ highlighted that Nagaland has been consistently recording the highest rate for last 8 years. (See table)
Extortion and blackmailing are covered under Section 384 to 389 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Likewise, while cases under Liquor & Narcotic Drugs– Related Acts (278) dominated the Special & Local Laws (SLL), there were also 59 cases concerning Arms/Explosive - Related Acts.
Overall crime declines
However, the registration of cognisable crimes under IPC and SLL has been on a declining trend in Nagaland since 2018.
In 2021, a total of 1478 cases comprising of 1033 IPC and 445 SLL crimes were registered in the State, indicating a 4.70% decline from 2020 when there were 1511 cases.
The IPC and SLL crimes decreased from 1775 in 2018 to 1661 in 2019 and further 1511 in 2020.
Accordingly, the rate of cognisable crimes (IPC+SLL) in Nagaland at 67.2 persons per lakh population in 2021 was lowest among the States in India. Only the UTs of Daman & Diu (52.3) had lower rate than Nagaland.
The All-India rate of cognisable crimes was 268.0 in 2021 with Delhi topping the same at 1410 persons per lakh population, followed by Tamil Nadu (422.1), Kerala (401.4), and Gujarat (389.7).
A total of 60,96,310 cognisable crimes comprising of 36,63,360 IPC and SLL crimes were registered across India in 2021.
In Nagaland, the registration of cases under ‘Offences against Property’ was the highest in 2021 at 705. Apart from Extortion & Blackmailing, major crime-heads under ‘Offences against Property’ included Theft (428), Burglary (77) and Criminal Breach of Trust (22). Other cases included robbery, dacoity and criminal misappropriation etc.
At 212 cases, ‘Offences Affecting the Human Body’ which includes crimes such as sexual assault, kidnapping and abduction, murder were other major crime-heads in Nagaland under IPC while SLL crimes in Nagaland was dominated by cases under Arms/Explosive- Related Acts (59), Liquor & Narcotic Drugs – Related Acts (278) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (31).
Concerted efforts on ‘extortion’
While the NCRB data does not specify the reason behind the increase in extortion cases, law enforcing agencies in the State claimed that most cases are registered due to their increased intervention and pro-activeness.
Some concerted efforts by law enforcing agencies to check ‘extortion’ were seen in the last three years.
For instance, on June 26, 2020, the Nagaland Police via various media outlets and platforms widely circulated contact numbers and social media handles for ‘any police assistance or reporting of criminal activities.’
Highlighting the initiative, the IGP (Range), Limasunep Jamir then stated in a press conference that the Nagaland Police is carrying out “its mandated duty of anti-extortion drive relentlessly...” The press conference came a day after a letter from the State Governor to the Chief Minister expressing serious concerns on the law and order situation, became public.
It was further informed that ‘extortion related cases make up the majority of the offences in the total cases registered against members of Naga Political Groups (NPGs).’
Incidentally, Jamir maintained that more than 95% of the cases relating to extortion are registered suo moto by the police without “formal complaint lodged by the aggrieved party against the extortionist,” indicating the “proactiveness” of the police and security forces. Most ‘extortion cases’ were registered in Dimapur.
In February 2021, the State Assembly was also informed that “Anti-Extortion Cells” have been set-up in all districts by the Nagaland Police.
The data and assertion given by the IGP (Range) were ‘affirmed’ by Commissioner of Police (CP), Dimapur, Rothihu Tetseo, in September 2021 when he informed the media that out of 65 extortion related cases registered in Dimapur from June 1-September 23, not a single incident was reported by victims.
Most arrested individuals in the cases were Naga political group members and those categorised as “others” or civilians committing offences at their behest, he added.
The CP further maintained that 58.14% of the total criminal cases registered in Nagaland in 2020 were reported in Dimapur and in 2021, from January till September 23, out of the 941 cases registered, 56.21% were reported from Dimapur.
As there were 65 extortion cases in Dimapur in just three months, it can be safely assumed that most of the 159 extortion cases registered in 2021 in Nagaland were confined to Dimapur district.
