New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) Delhi recorded the highest number of kidnapping cases among the 19 metropolitan cities last year, according to the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The national capital registered a marginal decline in the number of murder cases. It reported 454 cases of murder in 2021 as compared to 461 in 2020 and 500 in 2019, according to the report.

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A majority of the murders recorded in the national capital in 2021 were the fallout of various disputes, including those related to property and family. In 23 cases, the bloodshed was due to a love affair gone wrong and 12 killings were over illicit relationship, according to the NCRB data.

The motive behind 87 of these murders was personal vendetta or enmity, while 10 killings were due to personal gain. There was no murder in the national capital last year due to dowry, witchcraft, child/human sacrifice and for communal, religious or caste reasons.

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During dacoity and robbery, the national capital witnessed 20 murders.

As many as 177 murders were reported due to various disputes related to property, family and petty quarrel.

One of the high profile murders that made headlines last year was that of former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar. Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, along with others, allegedly assaulted Dhankar and his friends at the Chhatrasal Stadium in May 2021 over an alleged property dispute. Dhankar later succumbed to his injuries.

The national capital witnessed the highest number of kidnapping in 2020 at 5,475 as against 4,011 the previous year.

The police managed to rescue 5,274 kidnapped people, including 3689 women. Seventeen of the kidnapped people, including eight women, were found dead, according to the data.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)