Tripura logs lowest crime rate in 20 years, major dip in accidents: DGP

Tripura recorded its lowest overall crime figures in the last 20 years in 2025, with significant reductions across major crime categories and road traffic accidents, Director General of Police Anurag said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference at the Police Headquarters here, the DGP said the state witnessed a marked improvement in law and order during the year, describing 2025 as one of the best-performing years for policing in the state over the past two decades.

According to official data, total crimes reported in Tripura during 2025 stood at 3,698, registering a decline of 8.3 per cent compared to 4,033 cases in 2024. Property-related offences, including dacoity, robbery, burglary and theft, dropped by 16.04 per cent, with 293 cases recorded in 2025 against 349 cases in the previous year.

Murder cases saw a decline of 18.10 per cent, with 95 cases reported this year compared to 116 in 2024. Incidents of hurt and assault, considered a key indicator of public order, fell by 14.23 per cent from 815 cases in 2024 to 699 in 2025. Rioting-related cases also declined by 26 per cent, with 17 cases reported in 2025 against 23 last year.

Crimes against women registered a reduction of 8.14 per cent, with 665 cases recorded in 2025 as compared to 724 cases in 2024, the DGP said.

Highlighting efforts to improve road safety, Anurag said focused enforcement and awareness drives resulted in an 8.82 per cent reduction in road traffic accidents. A total of 520 accident cases were reported in 2025, down from 575 cases in the previous year. Fatalities due to road accidents declined by 14.55 per cent, with 182 deaths recorded this year against 213 in 2024.

He said police analysis revealed that nearly 67 per cent of road accident deaths involved persons aged between 18 and 45 years, describing it as the most productive age group. “Road traffic accidents are a major social loss as they affect individuals who contribute significantly to families and the economy,” he said.

As many as 345 fatal accident cases were registered in 2025 compared to 365 in 2024, while the number of injured persons declined from 622 to 606 during the same period.

Comparing national data, the DGP said that in 2023, the national average of road accidents per lakh population was 34.6, whereas Tripura recorded 13.9. This figure further declined to 12.5 in 2025. In terms of accidents per 10,000 vehicles, Tripura stood at 8.5 against the national average of 11.4 in 2023, which was further reduced to 6 in 2025. The number of persons killed per lakh population in Tripura stood at 4.7, almost one-third of the national average of 12.5.

Despite an eight per cent increase in registered vehicles—from 8.11 lakh to 8.67 lakh—the state managed to bring down accident figures, he added.

On narcotics enforcement, Anurag said NDPS cases rose by 11 per cent, with 522 cases registered in 2025 against 470 in 2024. Seizures of dry ganja increased by 14 per cent, cough syrup bottles by 145 per cent, and yaba tablets by 26.37 per cent. The seizure of cannabis nurseries and plants rose by 95 per cent, with over 16 crore plants and saplings recovered. The total value of narcotics seized and destroyed surged from Rs 849 crore in 2024 to Rs 1,636 crore in 2025.

Traffic enforcement also intensified during the year, with prosecution reports under motor vehicle laws increasing by 109 per cent from 55,696 in 2024 to 1,16,158 in 2025. Fine collection rose from Rs 19.1 crore to Rs 20.21 crore, while driving licence suspensions increased from 10,890 to 17,890.

Prosecution reports related to gambling and petty offences also saw a sharp rise, with total cases increasing from 1,06,873 in 2024 to 2,40,258 in 2025 as part of preventive action against habitual offenders.

On militancy, the DGP said all underground group members had abandoned violence and joined the mainstream, while attempts to revive such activities in North Tripura were thwarted with the arrest of six persons and seizure of explosives.

He said 628 lost mobile phones were recovered and returned to owners, 45 trafficked persons were rescued from Arunachal Pradesh, and 20 kidnapped girls were recovered through inter-state coordination.

The conviction rate in Tripura currently stands at around 31 per cent, which is higher than several northeastern states, he added.

On illegal infiltration, the DGP said 202 cases were registered, leading to the arrest of 578 persons, including 393 Bangladeshi nationals, 12 Rohingya migrants and 120 border touts.