Guwahati: Assam has been ranked second by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in terms of rate of violent crimes in the country in 2016.

According to the bureau's latest report, Crime in India 2016, released by Union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Thursday, the rate of violent crime was 74.22 in the state last year, which was second highest in the country with New Delhi (77.5) occupying the first position.

The crime rate is calculated based on the number of violent crimes committed per 1 lakh population.

A big state with a larger population can report a higher number of violent crimes compared to a smaller state but it may have a low rate and therefore, the crime rate is considered an index.

The crimes that affect the life and safety of people and induce a sense of insecurity and fear are considered violent crimes by the NCRB.

According to this, crimes such as murder, attempt to murder, dowry death, abduction, dacoity, rape, riots and arson fall into the category of violent crimes. The report says the total number of violent crimes reported in Assam in 2016 was 24,165, including 1,149 murders and 6,126 kidnappings/abductions.

Based on the rate of Indian Penal Code (IPC) cases, Assam ranked fifth in the country. The rate of IPC cases in the state was 313.9 last year, which was higher than the national average of 233.6.

The number of IPC cases in the state, however, has come down marginally from 10,3616 in 2015 to 10,2250 in 2016.

Based on the crime rate, Assam was ranked second in crime against women only behind New Delhi.

"Altogether 20,869 cases of crime against women were registered in the state last year," the report said. They include 157 dowry deaths, 5,339 kidnapping/abduction, 1,779 rapes, 370 attempts to commit rape and 3,378 assaults with intent to outrage a woman's modesty.