Rise In Juvenile Crime In Pune: 1,681 Cases Recorded In Four Years

Juvenile involvement in crime cases in Pune has been on the rise, with 1,681 juveniles identified over the last four years. Police are now focusing on prevention and rehabilitation measures. The issue gained attention after a juvenile was involved in the May 19 Porsche car accident that killed two techies. According to police data, from 2021 to May 22, 2024, 1,681 juveniles were identified as ‘children in conflict with law’ in 1,061 crime cases.

In 2021, 519 juveniles were involved in 336 cases, with Yerawada division recording the highest number of juveniles (179) in 121 cases. In 2022, 544 juveniles were involved in 342 cases, with Hadapsar division recording the highest number (204) in 139 cases.
In 2023, 449 juveniles were involved in 228 cases, with Hadapsar again recording the highest number (148) in 98 cases. In 2024, up to May 22, 169 juveniles were involved in 95 cases, with Yerawada division recording 41 juveniles in 23 cases.

The involvement of juveniles is not limited to minor crimes. In 2023, Pune Police registered 102 cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against 650 accused, of which 69 were juveniles. The data indicates that the highest concentrations of juvenile offenders are in Zone 4 (Yerwada) and Zone 5 (Hadapsar), highlighting localised hotspots for youth involvement in criminal activities.

Police are now focusing on strategies to prevent juvenile crime and rehabilitate young offenders to address this growing issue.

Joyville