‘Testament to the visionary leadership of our CM...’: TMC credits Mamata as Kolkata named India’s safest city for 4th yr

Kolkata: After Kolkata was declared the safest city in India by the 2023 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, for the fourth year in a row, with the lowest number of reported crimes per lakh people, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday said that the achievement was just a reflection of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ‘zero tolerance approach’ towards crime. According to the NCRB report for 2023, Kolkata registered just 83.9 cognisable offences per lakh people, the lowest among 19 major Indian cities with a population of over 20 lakh. In a post on X, TMC said: “Kolkata reaffirms its position for the fourth time as India’s safest city, a reflection of Hon’ble Chief Minister @mamataofficial’s vision and her zero tolerance approach to crime. Bengal stands tall today because peace and safety are priorities under her leadership.”

The post further read: “For the fourth year in a row, Kolkata has been named India’s safest city. A city that believes in care, compassion, and community led by our Hon’ble CM @mamataofficial who believes safety is service.” Kochi had the highest crime rate, with 3,192.4 crimes per lakh people, followed by Delhi and Surat. Other safer cities include Hyderabad, Pune, and Mumbai. According to NCRB data, Kolkata’s crime rate has shown a consistent decline since 2016, when it stood at 159.6 per lakh population. The total number of reported crimes also dropped for the second consecutive year, with 11,843 cases registered in 2023. The report further highlighted a decline in crimes against women — from 1,890 cases in 2022 to 1,746 in 2023. Kolkata now ranks among the cities with the lowest rates of crimes against women in the country, following Chennai and Coimbatore. The leaders from the ruling TMC claimed that it has been possible because of better infrastructure, more staff, improved technology, and night patrols. State industries and women and child development minister and senior TMC Shashi Panja said: “The NCRB data vindicates our claims that Kolkata is a safe city and debunks political claims from opponents. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stressed repeatedly that there should be zero tolerance to crime.” State Finance minister and another senior TMC leader, Chandrima Bhattacharya, said: “According to the NCRB report, Kolkata has once again been declared the safest city in India….For the fourth consecutive year, Kolkata has earned this distinction, a testament to the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.” The report also shows violent crimes dropped overall, even though murders rose slightly to 43 in 2023, up from 34 in 2022. This number is still lower than in 2021 and 2020. West Bengal’s overall crime rate is 181.6, much lower than the national average of 433.