A shocking 67% increase in crimes against Dalits in Tamil Nadu: NCRB and NCDHR reports expose the state’s claims of ‘social justice’.
New Delhi: The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election results have created a major stir in the state’s politics. The DMK’s defeat and the TVK’s rapid rise have sparked numerous discussions. While anti-incumbency and political strategies are being blamed for this defeat, the ongoing violence against Dalits and the government’s lackadaisical response to it also point to a serious crisis.
The DMK has long touted Tamil Nadu as a model of governance for social justice. However, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) tell a different story. A deeper analysis of these reports reveals a massive 67 percent increase in atrocities against Dalits and tribals in the state. It’s noteworthy that both the AIADMK and the DMK were in power during this period.
According to the NCDHR report “Five Years of Caste-Based Atrocity,” Tamil Nadu saw a 67.9 percent increase in crimes against Dalits between 2019 and 2023, the highest in the country. Madhya Pradesh, with 55.3 percent and Odisha, with 42.9 percent, came in second and third. These figures demonstrate a wide gap between the language of social justice and the real lives of Dalits in the state.
The NCRB 2023 data paints an even more alarming picture. Cases of murder of Dalits saw a 40.4 percent increase, from 52 in 2019 to 73 in 2023. Cases of grievous hurt have increased by 240 percent, while criminal intimidation cases have seen a staggering 584.8 percent jump. These figures prove that whenever Dalits raise their voices for their rights, the caste system attempts to suppress them through violence.
Crimes against Dalit women and girls have also seen an alarming increase. The total number of rape cases increased from 97 in 2019 to 132 in 2023, a 36.1 percent increase. In particular, atrocities against Dalit girls have increased by 73.2 percent. These are not just individual crimes; rape is often used as a weapon of caste oppression. Attacks intended to outrage the dignity of women have also seen a 289.5 percent increase.
The failure of the justice system is also exacerbating this situation. In 2023, the conviction rate for Dalit atrocity cases was only 12.2 percent, while the acquittal rate was high at 87.8 percent. The pendency rate is also 87.7 percent, primarily due to the lack of special courts. Tamil Nadu has only 20 special courts for speedy trials, which is woefully inadequate for the caseload.
According to law, the State-Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Chief Minister, must meet twice a year. However, these meetings have been ignored in Tamil Nadu since 2021. Only one meeting each was held in 2021, 2022, and 2023, while none was held in 2024. This reflects not an administrative lapse but the government’s priorities and attitude towards marginalized communities.
Dalits are also being targeted in cases of violence in police custody. According to the 2021 Prison Statistics, 37 percent of those detained in the state were Dalits. Tamil Nadu alone accounts for 84.5 percent of India’s total Scheduled Caste prisoners. By 2023, this number was projected to rise to 42.2 percent, while Dalits constitute only around 20 percent of the state’s total population.
The DMK’s electoral defeat is partly a result of growing discontent among Dalits over hollow slogans of social justice and the perceived insecurity of the state. On the other hand, the rise of the TVK is a result of cinematic influence and the search for an alternative among young people. However, celebrity culture or anti-incumbency alone cannot provide justice to marginalized communities.
The TVK’s silence on issues like the recent honor killing of Dalit tech professional Kavin Selvaganesh has also raised questions. It will be important to see whether new political forces will engage in mere symbolic politics or work to ensure real protection and justice for victims by strictly enforcing the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Rajan Chaudhary
Courtesy: Hindi News