Jaipur, May 8 -- Rajasthan has topped the country in rape cases for the sixth consecutive year, as per the latest National Crime Record Bureau 2024 data, even as the figure itself was the lowest for the state in six years. According to the report, Rajasthan with 4,871 rape cases, was followed by 3,209 in Uttar Pradesh, 3,061 in Madhya Pradesh, and 3091 in Maharashtra. However, the 2024 figure in Rajasthan showed a 18.77% decline from 2019 when the state recorded 5,997 rape cases and also a 23.13% dip from 2021 when 6,337 rape cases were lodged - so far the highest in the six years, as per the NCRB report. At least 5,310 rape cases were lodged in 2020, another 5,399 in 2022, and also 5,078 cases in 2023 in the desert state. A further classification of the 2024 data also revealed that the perpetrators were known to the victims in 98.4% rape cases. Of 4,795 such cases (in which offenders are known to the victim), 453 were the members of victims' families, 2,129 were friends or live-in partners, separated husbands, or online friends, and 2,213 were neighbours, family friends, or colleagues. NCRB report also showed that at least 330 women were raped by a teacher, guardian, or someone in position of their trust. A total 58 women were also raped who were unable to give consent. At least 620 women also faced repeated rape over a long time of period, showed data, while 717 cases were of gang-rapes, showed the report. In 38 cases, victims were also murdered after rape. A further classification of data showed that 3,044 rape victims in 2024 were 18 to 30 years old while 1,576 were 30 to 45 years old, and 266 were 45 to 60 years old and two were also above 60 years old. Meanwhile, in overall crime against women, Rajasthan, also stood at the third rank in India in 2024 with a total 36,563 cases. The state was after Uttar Pradesh with 66,381 cases, and Maharashtra with 47,954 cases and followed by West Bengal with 34,691 cases, and Madhya Pradesh with 32,132 cases. A further classification of cases of violence against women also showed that a total 386 cases of dowry deaths were registered in Rajasthan in 2024, at least 12 cases were of acid attack, 4,042 cases were of abduction, 72 cases were of procuration of minor girls, 8,276 cases were of outraging women's modesty, and 139 cases were of publishing or transmitting sexually explicit material. However, Rajasthan also hit the lowest in the entire country with only 54.1% rate of registering charge sheet in the cases of crimes against women in 2024. The corresponding figure in 2023 was 53.6% followed by 54% in 2022, 55.4% in 2021, and 55% in 2020. Commenting on the data, a senior police officer from the civil rights department said, "Rajasthan is improving on their own figures. Despite it being high across the country traditionally, these numbers have declined over the years."...