Patna: While Mother’s Day celebrations honour women as symbols of love and sacrifice, alarming figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2024 report present a grim reality in Bihar, where women appear to be more unsafe inside their homes than outside.
According to NCRB data, a total of 27,359 crimes against women were registered in Bihar in 2024. Of these, nearly 45 percent were linked to violence and abuse within households. Cases involving cruelty by husbands and in-laws accounted for 12,438 complaints, highlighting the extent of domestic abuse faced by women across the state.
The report also recorded 6,224 dowry deaths in Bihar during the year, raising serious concerns about the continued prevalence of dowry-related violence. Social activists say each such death not only claims a woman’s life but also leaves children emotionally shattered and, in many cases, orphaned.
Experts point out that in several cases, children are forced to witness violence against their mothers inside their own homes, leading to long-term psychological trauma. In incidents where fathers are jailed for the crime and mothers lose their lives, children are often left without emotional or financial support.
The NCRB figures further reveal that women continue to face threats both inside and outside their homes. Bihar recorded 10,142 cases of kidnapping and abduction of women in 2024. Rural areas, in particular, continue to report incidents linked to dowry harassment, domestic violence, land disputes and accusations of witchcraft.
Activists and legal experts have also expressed concern over the slow pace of justice delivery in crimes against women. According to the report, as many as 1,44,844 cases related to crimes against women are pending in courts across Bihar. The pendency rate stands at 97.9 percent, indicating severe delays in disposal of cases.
Officials said many survivors lose hope due to prolonged legal battles and repeated court hearings. Apart from court delays, police investigations are also facing backlog issues. By the end of 2024, around 24,782 cases related to crimes against women were still pending investigation at police stations across the state.
Women’s rights groups say the data exposes the urgent need for stronger implementation of laws, faster investigation, dedicated fast-track courts and better social support systems for survivors of domestic violence and abuse.
They stressed that beyond symbolic celebrations, ensuring safety, dignity and justice for women within their own homes remains one of the biggest challenges facing society today.
