Manipur records highest violent crimes, riots in Northeast in 2023: NCRB

Guwahati: Manipur recorded the highest number of violent crimes and rioting cases in the Northeast in 2023, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported.

The state, struggling with ongoing ethnic violence between the valley-based Meiteis and hill-based Kukis since May 2023, also topped the nation in crimes and atrocities against Scheduled Tribes last year.

The NCRB report revealed that Manipur reported 14,427 violent crimes in 2023, a sharp increase from 631 cases in 2022 and 545 in 2021.

Assam ranked second in the region with 11,552 incidents.

Crimes and atrocities against Scheduled Tribes in Manipur surged dramatically, with 3,339 cases recorded in 2023, compared to only one in 2022 and none in 2021.

Manipur also led the Northeast in rioting and arson, reporting 5,421 incidents of rioting and 6,203 cases of arson.

Additionally, the state registered 330 robbery cases and 1,213 dacoity cases in the same year.

The report detailed that Manipur recorded 151 murders and 818 attempted murders in 2023.

It also documented 89 kidnappings and 27 rapes.

Crimes against women showed a slight decline, with 201 cases reported in 2023 compared to 248 in 2022 and 302 in 2021.

Since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, more than 260 people have lost their lives and thousands have been displaced, highlighting the severity of the crisis reflected in the NCRB statistics.