‘There may be crime, but no apraadh’: Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary’s remark sparks ridicule

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday triggered online ridicule after claiming that the concept of ‘apraadh’ had ended in the state, even as he acknowledged that ‘crime’ could still take place.

Speaking at an event organised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Delhi, Choudhary said: “Hamare yahan koi apraadh nahi hai. Apraadh ka concept hi khatam ho chuka hai. Crime ho sakte hain, lekin apraadh nahi, koi apraadhi nahi hai.”

The statement drew reactions on social media, with many questioning the distinction the chief minister was attempting to make between the English word ‘crime’ and its Hindi equivalent ‘apraadh’.

However, the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data present a substantial record of criminal offences registered in the state.

According to the NCRB's Crime in India 2024 report, Bihar recorded 2,38,753 cases under the Indian Penal Code and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in 2024, an increase of 3.07% from 2,31,627 cases in 2023.

The state recorded 5,037 cases of crimes allegedly committed by juveniles, the highest among all states. The number represented a 177% increase from 1,818 cases in 2023.

Bihar also reported the highest number of kidnapping and abduction cases, at 7,305, including 52 cases of kidnapping for ransom. It recorded 77,606 cases of hurt offences, involving 87,317 victims, the highest among states.

The state topped the national tally for cases involving the kidnapping, abduction or inducement of women to compel marriage, with 12,438 cases. It also recorded 312 cases of attacks on police personnel and other government servants, the highest in the country.

Bihar second in murder and dowry deaths

Bihar recorded 2,787 murder cases in 2024, the second-highest among states after Uttar Pradesh, which reported 3,218 cases.

The state also reported 1,078 dowry deaths, again the second-highest tally after Uttar Pradesh's 2,057.

It registered 3,185 rioting cases, including 80 communal or religious riots involving 155 victims. The state also recorded 47,535 theft cases, 6,240 extortion cases, 1,977 robberies and 238 dacoities.

In crimes against women, Bihar registered 1,165 rape cases, apart from the 12,438 cases involving the kidnapping or abduction of women to compel marriage.

Questions over under-reporting of crime

The NCRB figures, however, need to be read alongside longstanding concerns about the registration of criminal cases in Bihar.

A 2016 investigation by IndiaSpend, published by Business Standard under the headline Don't report it, or how Bihar fights crime, examined discrepancies in Bihar's crime statistics. It found that the state had a much lower overall crime rate than several more prosperous states despite its large population, while recording high numbers of murders and dowry deaths.

The investigation pointed to the possibility that offences such as rape and assault were being under-reported. It noted that Bihar had registered 177,595 cognisable crimes in 2014, substantially fewer than Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, despite having a considerably larger population.

The investigation also found that Bihar had recorded 3,593 murders in 2014, more than Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It suggested that offences resulting in deaths were harder to conceal than crimes such as sexual assault and theft, which could go unreported.

The limitations of NCRB data have also been highlighted by The Indian Express in its explainer on the bureau's methodology. NCRB figures are compiled from cases registered by police stations and therefore reflect reported and registered offences, rather than the actual incidence of crime.

The bureau's own methodology acknowledges that the use of the 'Principal Offence Rule' can lead to under-counting of individual crime categories when multiple offences are committed in a single incident. Gaps in local-level reporting and police registration practices can also affect the data.

These limitations mean that official figures cannot be treated as a complete measure of the actual incidence of crime. At the same time, historical investigations into under-reporting do not establish the extent of such practices in Bihar today.

Tejashwi Yadav takes a swipe at chief minister

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav responded to Choudhary's remarks by asking whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the chief minister a ‘supaari’ (contract) to destroy Bihar.

Yadav also alleged that Choudhary was accused in seven murder cases.