Leh: The Union Territory of Ladakh, known for its lowest crime graph in the country, recorded 522 cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL) in 2023, according to official crime data.
The figures released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) highlight fluctuating crime trends in the Union Territory — a decline in 2022 followed by a fresh rise in 2023.
The number of cases in 2023 reflects an increase from 478 cases registered in 2022, though still lower than the 559 cases reported in 2021.
The Union Territory, with a population of around three lakh, registered a cognizable crime rate of 173.4 per lakh population, which translates to roughly one cognizable crime for every 577 residents.
However, the charge-sheeting rate stood at 85.6 percent in 2023, indicating that a majority of the cases investigated by police were taken to court.
Officials note that the relatively high charge-sheeting rate reflects efficient police investigation, even as crime levels remain under close watch given Ladakh’s small population base and strategic location.
According to the NCRB data, IPC crimes in Ladakh showed a decline in 2022 with a total of 439 cases, compared to 519 the previous year. However, the cases went up to 459 in 2023 with a cognizable crime rate of 152.5 per lakh population.
The crimes under SLL have gone up to 63 in 2023 against 39 in 2022 and 40 in 2021 while charge-sheeting of the accused stands at 98.6 percent in 2023.
Ladakh reported two murder cases in 2023 and 56 deaths due to negligence, including 49 deaths in road accidents. The deaths included five hit-and-run cases.
On crimes against women and children, the data showed that the Union Territory reported two incidents of rape in 2023, six abduction cases and five cases of missing children believed abducted.
Ladakh recorded no sedition or a case against state but recorded seven incidents of rioting, including one incident of promoting enmity between different groups, in 2023.
