Maharashtra has recorded as many as 8,218 cases of rioting in 2022, the highest in the country for the year, the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed.

The NCRB, which functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, released the report 'Crime in India 2022' on Monday. As per this report, Maharashtra ranked second (after Uttar Pradesh) in the registration of criminal cases under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The data also showed that the state stood third in cases of murder (at 2,295) after Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in 2022, and ranked fourth in rape cases (at 2,904) after Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

As per the report, Maharashtra registered a total of 3,74,038 criminal cases (under the IPC sections) in 2022 as compared to 3,67,218 in 2021 and 3,94,017 in 2020.

Uttar Pradesh recorded as many as 4,01,787 cases in 2022, which is the highest in the country for the year.

There was a significant rise in the number of rioting cases in Maharashtra last year, which took the state to the top position in this category. These cases were registered under IPC sections 147 to 151 (pertaining to rioting and unlawful assembly), it said.

Maharashtra recorded a total of 8,218 rioting cases, in which 9,558 persons were victims, the data showed.

Twenty-eight of these rioting cases were linked to communal and religious issues, 75 cases to political issues and 25 others to caste-related conflicts.

Bihar ranked second with 4,736 cases of rioting and is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 4,478 such cases, the report said.

Maharashtra registered 2,295 cases of murder, in which 2,365 persons were named as victims last year, it said.

The state ranked third in the list after Uttar Pradesh, which recorded 3,491 murder cases and Bihar that saw 2,930 such cases, it added.

Maharashtra ranked fourth in rape cases after Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The state recorded 2,904 incidents of rape in 2022, whereas Rajasthan was at the top position with 5,399 cases in this category, the NCRB report said, adding that Uttar Pradesh ranked second with 3,690 cases and Madhya Pradesh third with 3,029 cases.

There were 5,209 cases of assault on women under section 354 of the IPC (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) in Maharashtra in 2022, whereas 2,946 incidents of sexual harassment were recorded under section 354(A), the report said, adding that among the cases of sexual harassment, 46 were reported as harassment at work office premises.

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