Mumbai recorded fewer rape and molestation cases between January and August 2026 compared with the corresponding period last year, but lawyers caution that declining figures do not necessarily indicate improved safety for women, citing difficulties survivors face while reporting offences.
Rape Cases Decline 8.7%
According to Mumbai Police data, rape cases declined 8.7%, from 653 in 2025 to 596 in 2026, while arrests fell from 640 to 588. Molestation cases dropped 11.5%, from 1,677 to 1,484, with arrests declining from 1,672 to 1,455.
Another 238 cases involving sexual intercourse through deceitful means, including false promises of marriage, were registered in 2026, with 218 arrests. Comparable data for 2025 was unavailable.
Police Commissioner Cites Improvement
Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti recently claimed crimes against women had declined around 4%, with improved detection across nearly every category. Mumbai recorded 1,262 rape and 2,468 molestation cases throughout 2025.
Lawyer Naksi questioned whether fewer complaints meant greater safety. “The police may be pointing to a decline in crimes against women, but this cannot automatically be seen as an indication that women are safer in Mumbai. There is systematic discouragement when women try to file complaints. I have personally experienced moral policing at a police station and had to spend nearly five hours trying to file a harassment complaint,” she said.
Architect Alleges Sexual Exploitation
In April, a BMC ward officer was arrested and subsequently granted bail after a 32-year-old architect alleged sexual exploitation through a false marriage promise in Parksite-Vikhroli.
On August 6, a college-going woman alleged attempted sexual assault after being followed and dragged towards bushes in Mulund.
In September, a 20-year-old telecaller alleged sexual assault by her boyfriend after he concealed his identity and rendered her unconscious. Another woman, 21, alleged that a man displayed a sexually explicit video near Dadar station.
Bharti reported 85% overall crime detection and 99% detection in serious offences, including murder and robbery, during January-August.
However, Naksi questioned these figures, alleging police had failed to trace her harasser.
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