West Bengal tops nation in acid assaults, crime in opposition to ladies drops marginally, reveals newest NCRB information

While there was a marginal drop within the crime in opposition to ladies within the State, West Bengal continues to document highest incidents of acid assaults within the nation, as per the Crime in India 2023 printed on September 29. 2025.

While the nation recorded 207 circumstances of acid assaults in 2023, West Bengal alone accounted for 57 acid assaults below Section 326A of IPC. As per the info West Bengal alone accounted for 27.5% of all acid assaults within the nation.

The variety of victims/survivors in these 57 circumstances of acid assaults was 60 in West Bengal. Across the nation there have been 220 victims/survivors in 207 incidents of acid assaults. Uttar Pradesh with 31 circumstances of acid assaults and 31 victims/ survivors recorded the second highest cases of acid assaults within the nation.

For the previous a number of years West Bengal, which is the fourth most populated state within the nation, has recorded the best variety of acid assaults within the nation. As per the NCRB report of 2022, the State recorded 48 cases of acid assaults and 52 victims/survivors. In the 12 months 2022 the nation had recorded 202 cases of acid assaults. The State has been persistently recording the best variety of acid assaults within the nation since 2018.

Acid assault survivors and activists have demanded stringent checks on the unlicensed over-the-counter sale of acid within the nation particularly in West Bengal. According to pointers set down by the Supreme Court below W.P. (Criminal) 129 of 2006; Laxmi minor vs. Union of India, over-the-counter sale of acid is totally prohibited until the vendor maintains a log/register recording the sale of acid which can comprise the main points of the particular person(s) to whom acid(s) is/are bought and the amount bought.

While there are provisions for compensations for survivors of acid assaults, rehabilitation of victims. Recently a neighborhood Durga Puja in Kolkata in 2025 highlighted the plight of acid assault survivors.

Meanwhile, West Bengal recorded 34,691 circumstances of crime in opposition to ladies registered below Indian Penal Code and Special Local Laws in 2023 marginally decrease than 34, 738 circumstances of crime recorded in 2022.

The price of crime within the State, which is calculated per lakh of inhabitants, was recorded at 71.3%. The estimated inhabitants of ladies in 2023 within the State was estimated at 486.4 lakhs. Among the crime heads, circumstances recorded below Section 498 A of IPC- which pertains to cruelty by husband or his kin was highest. West Bengal recorded 19698 circumstances Section 498 A of IPC – which is second highest within the nation after Uttar Pradesh which recorded 19889. In phrases of victims below Section 498 A of IPC West Bengal recorded 20462 victims, which is highest within the nation.