The Second Capital of the State has witnessed a disturbing surge in rape cases, with 252 incidents reported by December 23. This surpasses the previous record of 250 incidents in 2022, raising serious questions about the safety of women in the city.

The trend of escalating rape incidents began during the lockdown, with 172 cases reported in 2020, rising to 234 in 2021, and reaching a grim milestone of 250 in 2022. Shockingly, within just one year, this number has been surpassed, intensifying scrutiny on the state of women's safety in Nagpur.

The breakdown of rape incidents over the years is as follows: 90 in 2013, 116 in 2014, 178 in 2015, 173 in 2016, 166 in 2017, 158 in 2018, 183 in 2019, 172 in 2020, 234 in 2021, and 250 in 2022, reaching 252 by December 23, 2023.

Authorities attribute the increase to enhanced transparency in policing and the prompt action taken by Nagpur Police in registering FIRs. It is noteworthy that, alongside the surge in rapes, incidents of molestation are also prevalent in Nagpur city. As of November 2023, 474 women have reported experiencing molestation, averaging three incidents every two days throughout the year.

Furthermore, Nagpur has seen a troubling rise in murder cases in the first ten months of 2023 (69) compared to 2022 (65). Alarmingly, 34 of these murders in 2023 are attributed to love affairs, illicit relationships, and minor arguments, according to the police.