Homicides declined during 2015-2024 compared to the previous decade, but those motivated by love and extramarital affairs did not.
Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff
Key Points
- A high-profile murder case involving Siya Goyal has renewed attention on the motives behind murders in India.
- NCRB data shows overall homicide cases declined during 2015-2024 compared with the previous decade.
- Murders linked to love affairs and extramarital relationships did not witness a similar decline.
- The share of love- and affair-related murders remained largely stable despite falling overall homicide numbers.
- After the adultery law was struck down in 2018, the proportion of such murders stayed flat or edged lower.
A case involving Sia Goyal, accused of murdering her fiance Ketan Agarwal, has captured public attention.
While this incident has dominated headlines, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data reveals shifting dynamics in murder motives in India over the past five decades.
Homicides declined during 2015-2024 compared to the previous decade, but those motivated by love and extramarital affairs did not.
However, their share in murders remained flat or declined slightly after the adultery law was abolished in 2018.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
