Patna: The Bihar Police has dismissed claims made by Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav regarding law and order in the state, asserting that Bihar’s crime rate remains lower than many other Indian states.
Responding to a social media post by Tejashwi, which cited 76 criminal incidents to allege a collapse in law enforcement, the State Police Headquarters said only 46 of those incidents could be verified. “The date and police station details were missing in many cases, making identification difficult,” an official statement read.
The police said action has already been taken in the 46 traceable cases, with 112 individuals arrested and investigations ongoing. It added that many of these incidents stemmed from minor disputes, including land issues, financial disagreements, and personal altercations.
The police further criticised Tejashwi’s remarks, saying such commentary negatively affects the morale of law enforcement personnel who are working with “dedication and honesty.”
From January 1 to April 7 this year, Bihar Police said it had arrested 947 people in connection with attacks on police, 697 for robbery, and 281 for dacoity. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Bihar ranked 14th nationally for murder cases in 2022, with a murder crime rate of 2.3 per one lakh population—a figure that has remained stable since 2021.
The police noted that a significant share of murder cases in recent years were linked to personal disputes. In 2023, over 73% of the 2,862 murder cases reported were tied to personal enmity, illicit relationships, or family feuds.
Bihar’s overall cognisable crime rate stood at 277.1 per lakh population in 2022, significantly lower than the national average of 422.2. The state ranked 19th nationally in overall cognisable crime and 21st in crimes reported under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), with an IPC crime rate of 168.1.
By comparison, several larger states reported much higher cognisable crime rates: Kerala (1,274.8), Haryana (810.4), Tamil Nadu (617.2), and Madhya Pradesh (569.3). Even neighbouring Uttar Pradesh reported a higher rate at 322.0.
The police headquarters has emphasised that it remains committed to ensuring public safety and is taking strict action to curb crime across the state.
