‘Crimes by foreigners halved in ‘23; crimes against them went up’

NEW DELHI: Crimes committed by foreigners in Delhi halved in 2023 compared to the previous two years, but the city continues to record the highest number of such cases among Union Territories, according to the latest report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The data shows that 130 cases involving foreigners were registered in the national capital in 2023, a sharp fall from 256 cases in 2022 and 322 in 2021. The charge-sheeting rate in these cases stood at 99.4 per cent in 2023.

Among the offences, the highest number -- 54 cases -- were reported under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

Despite the decline, Delhi ranked fourth in the combined list of states and Union Territories. West Bengal reported the highest number of crimes committed by foreigners at 1,021 cases, followed by Tripura with 285 cases, and Maharashtra with 276 cases.

While crimes by foreigners saw a dip in the city, crimes against foreigners in Delhi witnessed an upward trend.

A total of 63 such cases were reported in 2023, compared to 40 in 2022 and 27 in 2021. The charge-sheeting rate in these cases was relatively low at 50.07 per cent.

The NCRB report highlighted that Delhi accounted for the highest number of crimes against foreigners among all states and Union Territories. It was followed by Karnataka (32 cases), Himachal Pradesh (22), Maharashtra (19), Haryana (18) and Kerala (17).

Nationally, 238 cases of crimes against foreigners were registered in 2023, marking a 24 per cent rise from 192 the previous year. The report underlined that Delhi remains a focal point for both crimes committed by foreigners and crimes targeting them.