Maharashtra, once known globally as the land of saints and the home of education, is now feared to be gaining recognition for a different reason. The State now has the highest number of juvenile delinquents in India. According to information provided in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday by women and child development minister Annapurna Devi, the number of juvenile delinquents in Maharashtra is increasing rapidly.
Maharashtra has now overtaken Madhya Pradesh to claim the top spot. In 2021, the total number of juvenile offenders in India was 31,170. This figure dropped to 30,555 in 2022. In 2021, Madhya Pradesh (5,684) topped the list, while Maharashtra (4,554) was second. But in 2022, Maharashtra overtook Madhya Pradesh to reach the top position. Across India and the world, juvenile delinquency is on the rise. What is especially concerning is that minors are now being involved in serious crimes such as rape, murder, physical assault, grievous in-juries, arson, robbery, and theft. In addition, their involvement is increasing in crimes like reckless driving, hit-and run incidents, fraud, and public indecency.
State Juvenile Offenders (2022)
Maharashtra: 4,406
Madhya Pradesh: 3,795
Rajasthan: 3,063
Tamil Nadu: 2,607
Chhattisgarh: 2,356
Delhi: 2,340
Gujarat: 1,568
Uttar Pradesh: 1,505
Haryana: 1,164
Odisha: 1,163