Overview
- The National Crime Records Bureau’s Crime in India 2024 report counted 44,126 cases under POCSO Sections 4 and 6, with 96.6% involving someone the child knew.
- Friends, online contacts or live-in partners formed the largest group of accused at 22,308 cases, while family members were named in 3,658 and unknown offenders in 1,492.
- By total cases, Tamil Nadu led with 5,320, followed by Maharashtra with 4,829, Madhya Pradesh with 3,721 and Uttar Pradesh with 3,671.
- In Uttar Pradesh, 97.5% of POCSO cases involved known offenders, and the largest victim group was teenage girls.
- Child-rights experts link many cases to grooming on social media and gaming or messaging apps, and they urge faster special-court trials and stronger psychological support for victims.