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On 4 May 2026, The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released its report on violence against Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in 2024. While the overall numbers show a reduction from 2023 in crime rates against both SC and ST communities, numerous states continue to show a disturbingly high crime rate against their marginalised groups.
These crimes include cases of murder, grievous hurt, rape, assault on modesty, and insult and humiliation.
In 2024, India record 55,698 cases of crimes and atrocities against Scheduled Castes across States and Union Territories, with the rate of crime, per lakh population, is 27.7 percent. The chargesheeting rate was found to be 82 per cent.
Further, India recorded 9,062 cases of crimes and atrocities against Scheduled Tribes across States and Union Territories, with the rate of crime per lakh population being 9.5 percent, and the chargesheeting rate was found to be 81 percent.
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan Led The Charts In Crimes Against SCs In 2024
According to the 2024 numbers in the NCRB report, Uttar Pradesh was found to have the 14,642 number of crimes against Scheduled Castes, the most seen in a state in 2024. Madhya Pradesh stood second, with a recorded 7,765 cases, Bihar third with 7,549, and Rajasthan fourth with 7,008.
Although Uttar Pradesh was found to have the most number of crimes against the Scheduled Caste community, the state’s crime rate came in fourth. Madhya Pradesh had the highest crime rate against the SC community in 2024, with a recorded 68.5 percent. Rajasthan was second, recording 57.3 percent, and Bihar was third with 45.6 percent.
A closer look at the conviction rate reveals that the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan all show less than 50 per cent of completed criminal cases. Uttar Pradesh recorded a 73.3 percent conviction rate in the SC category in 2024.
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Kerala Led The Charts In The Crimes Against STs In 2024
The state of Madhya Pradesh recorded 3,165 cases for crimes against the ST community, the highest in 2024. Rajasthan was second, with 2,282 crimes recorded, and Maharashtra was third, with 830 cases.
Crime rate against STs in Kerala was the highest in 2024, even though it recorded 145 cases. Rajasthan had the second highest crime rate in 2024 with 24.7 percent, and Madhya Pradesh third with 20.7 percent.
Madhya Pradesh showed the highest chargesheeting rate in the ST category, recording 99.8 percent. This year, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Maharashtra show poor conviction rates in the ST category.
Atrocities Against SCs In Metropolitan Cities: Lucknow Leads
Amongst the Metropolitan Cities, Lucknow showed the most cases of crime against the SC communities, with 490 recorded cases. The city had a low conviction rate of 16.7 percent. Jaipur followed Lucknow, with 396 cases. Bangalore was third, with 280 cases. The Chargesheeting Rate for all cities remained high, recording more than 70 per cent.
The conviction rate, however, was miserably low. Jaipur, for instance, recorded a zero percent conviction rate.
A Comparison With 2023: Has Anything Changed?
Although the NCRB numbers show a 3.6 percent decline in cases of crime against the SC community, and a 23.1 percent decline of crime against the ST community from 2023, the large numbers recorded in 2024 still reflect the grave reality of caste-based atrocities occurring nationwide.