The Indian subcontinent is the most populous country in the world, having a rich culture and history. However, it should be noted that India has a high crime rate as well. Some Indian cities report higher criminal cases than others, making themselves not good places for vacationing.
As India is working towards developing more tourist places to attract foreigners, the chances of tourists falling prey to fraudsters or any kind of crime are the primary concern. When Indians visit a new place or migrate to a city for any purpose, it is important to inquire about the safety aspects of that particular place. Safety should be considered a top priority.
Hence, we have compiled here a list of the top 15 rowdy places in India where you should be cautious and mindful of your surroundings.
Top 15 Rowdy Places in India
1. Delhi
Delhi is regarded among the top rowdy places in India for its mind-boggling murder and gang rape cases. In Delhi, the crime rate is quite high, and women do not feel safe in certain public places. Here are some of the highly discussed criminal cases that happened in Delhi.
Priyadarshini Mattoo Murder Case
Priyadarshini Mattoo was a law student who was raped and murdered brutally at her house in New Delhi. She was a 25-year-old woman who died on January 23, 1996. Santosh Kumar Singh was found guilty by the Delhi High Court on accounts of both murder and rape.
Jessica Lal Murder Case
Jessica Lal was a renowned model in New Delhi. She was working at an unlicensed bar in Mehrauli. On April 29, 1999, she was shot dead by Manu Sharma with a .22 caliber pistol straight onto her head. Following this, Manu Sharma’s friends, Alok Khanna, Vikas Yadav, and Amardeep Singh Gill left the place.
Nirbhaya Gang Rape Case
The Nirbhaya case is commonly known as the 2012 Delhi Gang Rape and Murder Case, which occurred on December 16, 2012, in Munirka. The 22-year-old victim, Jyoti Singh, a physiotherapy intern, was brutally beaten, gang-raped, and tortured in a private bus. The driver was also involved in the act. They also beat her friend. She died two days later of her injuries. On September 10, 2013, four people were found guilty: Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, and Ram Singh’s brother, Mukesh Singh. Three days later, they were sentenced to death. Finally, on March 20, 2020, all four convicts were executed by hanging.
Mahatma Gandhi Murder Case 1948
On January 30, 1948, the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was assassinated by Nathuram Godse at Birla House, New Delhi. It is one of the Black Days for India.
2. Mumbai
Mumbai is the city of dreams for many young women and men. Youngsters come to this place to accomplish their dreams. However, some also find themselves surrounded by controversy or conspiracy. This place has also witnessed historical crimes like the 1993 Mumbai Bombing, the 26/11 Mumbai Attack of 2008, and many more.
Here are some more crime cases that happened in Mumbai.
Sheena Bora case
Sheena Bora was a 25-year-old working woman at Mumbai Metro One (Reliance Infrastructure). On April 24, 2012, she disappeared. In August 2015, Peter Mukherjee, her stepfather, Indrani Mukherjee, her mother, and Shyamvar Pinturam Rai, her mother’s driver, were arrested by the Mumbai police for allegedly killing her and burning her corpse. Indrani’s ex-husband and present husband both confessed to the crime.
1991 Lokhandwala Complex shootout
This incident took place on November 16, 1991, at the Lokhandwala Complex, Mumbai. It occurred between the Anti-Terrorism Squad led by A. A. Khan, the then Additional Commissioner of Police, and Maya Dolas, who was leading seven gangsters. This incident was regarded as “India’s first daylight encounter.” The shootout went on for four long hours, conducted in full view of the public. The shooting finally stopped after killing all seven gangsters, including Anil Pawar, Dilip Buwa, and Maya Dolas.
Bhayandar West 2019 Case
In April 2019, a 45-year-old man named Sonath Mitra was spotted shouting from his window with blood-stained hands in the neighborhood of Bhayandar West. He claimed that he murdered his mother, Rama. Police were called, and an 85-year-old senior citizen was found lying dead on the floor.
Rehan Qureshi Case
As per media accounts, since 2015, Rehan Qureshi abused more than twenty kids across Palghar, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. In 2010, he was also accused of raping and murdering two children at Nehru Nagar. The rape-murder cases rocked the Kurla community. However, until October 2018, the case remained unsolved. When Rehan was arrested, he confessed raping so many children that he had lost count of.
3. Bengaluru
India’s famous IT hub, Bengaluru is one of the rowdy places in India where crimes like property-related offenses, theft, and cybercrime are most commonly occurring. Places like Majestic, Electronic City, and Koramangala are some of the places with high crime happenings in Bengaluru. Here are some of the highly discussed criminal cases that happened in Bangalore.
Umesh Reddy Case
Umesh Reddy was a serial killer and rapist. He was convicted in a total of 9 cases (including the rape of Jayashree Subbaiah) and also confessed to killing 18 women. In the states of Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra, he raped around 20 women, as per the police reports. Umesh Reddy targeted homemakers between 11 am to 3 pm. Later he received a death sentence along with multiple other sentences.
ATM Heist 2018 Case
On November 5, 2018, Abdul Shahid, a van driver allegedly fled with two full bags of cash and a metal box from Nagavara Main Road. He worked at a cash management services firm, Writer Safeguard. He fled with ₹75 lakh cash, however later developed cold feet.
Gauri Lankesh Murder Case
Gauri Lankesh was a popular journalist and Indian Activist from Bangalore, Karnataka. She was brutally shot to death outside her residence on September 5, 2017, at Rajarajeshwari Nagar, by three unidentified men. Men fired seven bullets, out of which three bullets pierced her chest, neck, and head, leading to her ultimate demise.
4. Kolkata
Kolkata has a comparatively lesser crime rate than other metropolitan cities. However, this fact is unavoidable that incidents like pick-pocketing and theft are quite common in certain areas like Sealdah and Park Street. Here are various criminal incidents that justify Kolkata as one of the rowdy places in India.
Kamduni Gang Rape and Murder Case 2013
On June 7, 2013, Shipra Ghosh, a 20-year-old student of Derozio College, was abducted, gang-raped, and then brutally murdered. This incident occurred in the Kamduni village, 20 kilometers from main Kolkata. The prime accused, Ansar Ali confessed that he committed the crime with four others. In January 2016, Ansar Ali was sentenced. However other accused faced either life imprisonment or were sentenced to death.
Ekbalpore Triple Murder
Ekbalpore Triple Murder is a gruesome murder case of a widowed woman, Pushpa Singh along with her daughters, Aradhna and Pradipti Singh. This incident occurred in March 2014. Sikandar was held as the prime accused whose ties with local politicians were also witnessed making the case dirtier.
Bijon Setu Massacre
On April 30, 1982, Kolkata witnessed one of its dirtiest murder cases where a sadhvi of Ananda Marga along with 16 other sadhus were killed and burned at Bijon Setu, Kolkata. As per the reports, this incident was witnessed by thousands of people as it occurred in broad daylight. Thus, it is regarded as one of the most violent acts against Hindus in independent India.
Park Street Rape Case
Suzette Jordan met five youths in the wee hours on February 5, 2012. She met them in a nightclub, who later offered her a lift. Afterward, Suzette was gang-raped by five men, Sumit Bajaj, Ruman Khan, Nasir Khan, Md. Ali, and Kader Khan inside the moving car. Her body was thrown near Exide Crossing.
5. Chennai
Tamil Nadu’s capital city, Chennai has witnessed many crimes like violence, riots, burglaries, theft, rape, assault, and pickpocketing around Chennai Central Railway Station, Egmore, etc. Some of the famous crime cases that Chennai witnessed are mentioned below.
2016 Swathi Murder Case
On June 24, 2016, in broad daylight, a 24-year-old Brahmin girl, S Swathi was murdered at the railway station. She was killed on a platform in one of the upmarket areas of Chennai, Nungambakkam. Until senior policemen arrived at the spot, her body remained unattended for almost two hours. The killer was her Facebook friend, who was suspected to be P. Ramkumar.
T. Nagar Robbery Case
Occurred in July 2010 at T. Nagar by an armed gang. They robbed two workers of Pothys cloth. The total robbed amount was Rs 81 lakh which was later seized after the arrest of ten accused people. The majority of the gang members were associated with an alleged gangster, Manalmedu Sankar, who was encountered by Police in 2007.
Sankarnkovil Honour Killing Case 2016
In March 2016 in Udumalaipettai, V. Sankar, a young Dalit man, was murdered brutally. He got married to a woman from the upper caste, hence faced the consequences. This incident brought tears in public where issues of caste-based violence were highlighted.
6. Hyderabad
Hyderabad has been currently tagged as the best livable city in India as per Mercer’s Quality of Living (City Ranking) Survey 2023 ranking at the top position. Thus, extensive migration is witnessed in this place. If you want to be aware of the famous crime cases that took place in this place, then continue reading.
August 2007 Hyderabad Bombings
In the capital city of Telangana, on August 25, 2007, two bombs exploded almost simultaneously in a gap of 5 minutes at Lumbini Amusement Park and Gokul Chat Bhandar respectively. A total of 42 people lost their lives in this incident and more than 60 were severely injured. Later two more bombs were found in other parts of the city and were diffused.
Lawyer Couple Murder Case 2019
On February 17, Gattu Vamana Rao and his wife, P V Nagamani were brutally killed by numerous miscreants. Gattu and his wife were advocates at the High Court. Later, Putta Madhukar, the TRS former legislator, and Peddapalli Zilla Parishad Chairman were arrested by the Telangana Police.
Cyber Crime and Call Centre Scam 2020
In October 2020, a huge call center scam and cybercrime was witnessed in Hyderabad. This case involved a network of certain fraudulent call centers. The fraudsters claim themselves as comment officials and betrayed various people, especially foreigners in the name of immigration issues and tax evasion.
7. Pune
After Hyderabad, Pune is regarded as the second most livable city in India as per Mercer’s Quality of Living (City Ranking) Survey 2023 report. However, this city has also experienced increased criminal cases like violence, robbery, and theft in areas like Swargate, Hadapsar, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Here are some of the highly discussed criminal cases that happened in Pune.
2010 Pune Bombing
The 2010 Pune Bombing is most commonly known as the German Bakery Blast and 13/7 blast as it occurred on February 13, 2010. A bomb exploded at a German bakery in Pune, Maharashtra. 18 people were killed in this incident and more than 60 people got serious injuries including an Iranian student, two Sudanese Students, and an Italian woman.
Hadapsar Gang rape case 2024
On January 29, a 15-year-old minor girl was gang raped by two men at the Mula riverbed. She revealed that one by one, both the accused raped her. The case was registered at the Hadapsar police station on January 30 by the victim and her parents.
Nayana Pujari Rape and Murder Case 2009
Nayana Pujari was a software professional who was abducted, raped, and murdered in Pune. This incident occurred on October 7, 2009, when she was returning from her company, Synechron IT company. This case raises concerns about the safety and security of working IT women in India. The culprits, Vishwas Hindurao Kadam, Balasaheb Thakur, Mahesh, and Yogesh Ashok Raut were held guilty.
8. Ahmedabad
As the city is growing in terms of economy, it faces frequent incidents of brutal and heinous crimes. Areas like Odhav, Naroda, and Maninagar witness the most crime cases in Ahmedabad. Here is a glimpse.
Akshardham Temple Attack 2002
On September 24, 2002, the Akshardham Temple complex was attacked brutally by multiple Pakistani terrorists. It resulted in the killing of 33 people and injuring over 80 individuals. Later, Gujrat police arrested a total of 6 prime accused.
Ahmedabad serial bombings 2008
On July 26, 2008, a series of 21 bombs blasted in Ahmedabad within 70 minutes. A total of 200 people got serious injuries and 56 people lost their lives. The bombing was witnessed in various public places like hospitals, inside cars, bicycles, buses, LG hospitals, and many more.
Dholka Gang Rape Case 2022
A 15-year-old girl from Dholka was brutally gang raped by eight men on March 10, 2022. The men were from the age group 19 to 30 years. The eight men were Mahesh Patel (23), Sunil Thakore (21), Lala Thakore (19), Ketan Thakore (30), Ajay Thakore (26), Arjun Dudhani (23), Prakash Thakore (31), and Shivaji Thakore (22).
9. Coimbatore
Coimbatore is located in Tamil Nadu and has witnessed some gruesome and brutal mishaps in its entire history. Some of the incidents are brutal enough to give you goosebumps. Here are some of the highly discussed criminal cases that happened in Coimbatore.
2004 Kalapatti Violence
2004 Kalapatti Violence is regarded as one of the brutal and violent acts against the Dalits. Around 100 Dalit houses were burned down by dominant-caste villagers of the Kalapatti village in Tamil Nadu. Dalits who tried to escape were also attacked brutally. This incident occurred on May 16, 2004.
2016 Ariyalur Gang Rape
Nandhini was a 17-year-old pregnant Dalit minor girl who was gang raped and murdered by Manikandan, a 26-year-old man who was the Union Secretary of Hindu Munnani Union Secretary, along with his three friends. This incident occurred in December 2016. The men murdered her by cutting her genitalia, and they pulled out the fetus from her womb. She died due to excessive blood loss. They threw her into a nearby well.
2019 Pollachi Sexual Assault Case
In this case, numerous women were raped and extorted by a gang in Pollachi, Coimbatore. The gang befriended women on social media and then enticed the women to meet them at isolated places. Then they filmed the act and blackmailed the women for money and sexual favors. As per the media, approximately 200 women faced this. The majority of victims were from educational institutions in the entire state.
10. Jaipur
Jaipur, popularly known as the city of warriors and the Pink City, has experienced a spike in crime cases in recent years. Areas like Ajmeri Gate, Johari Bazaar, and Hawa Mahal are more prone to criminal cases. Some of the popular crime cases in Jaipur are mentioned below.
Hawala Scam Case 2023
On January 1, 2023, Ramgarh Sekhawati Police busted a huge hawala racket. They arrested three people who were accused of hawala trading. ₹10 lakh along with 7 gold coins were recovered by the police. As per the police personnel, the money seized is a part of the hawala racket.
Harshit Kidnap-Cum-Murder Case
Harshit Soni was a 10-year-old boy who was found in a sack. His mouth was glued with a few quick. He was lying on the railway tracks in Tonk’s Niwai Area on December 10, 2009. This incident is one of the most brutal and scariest incidents that any Indian city has ever witnessed. It should be noted that the case is still unsolved.
Sumedha Durlabhji Kidnap Case
Sumedha Durlabhji was a 60-year-old woman. She was the wife of a renowned city-based jeweler. Thus, this case gained immense popularity among the crime cases committed in Jaipur. Sumedha went missing on February 6, 2003. After a few hours, kidnappers called her family asking for ₹2.5 crore ransom. Alleged kidnappers: Umesh Kumar, Raju Kumar Singh, Pramod Pratap, Anil Kumar, Abhay Singh, Ajay Singh, and Rajiv Ranjan, were arrested.
11. Lucknow
Lucknow is the city of Nawabs. However, the crime cases witnessed in this city are unavoidable. Some of the brutal crime cases that Lucknow has witnessed are mentioned below.
2020 Hathras Gang Rape and Murder Case
Manisha Valmiki was a 19-year-old Dalit girl, who was brutally raped and then paralysed on September 14, 2020. The culprits were four men from the upper caste named Ravi, Lavkush, Ramu, and Sandeep. She died after 15 days of the attack in a Delhi hospital. On September 29, 2020, The woman was cremated by Uttar Pradesh Police without the knowledge of the victim’s family.
Ashiana Gang Rape Case
The incident occurred in the Ashiana area on May 2, 2005, when a rag picker’s daughter was abducted and then gang-raped in a moving car. She was only 13 years old. There were six spoilt brats. After a wait of 11 long years, justice was served when Gaurav Shukla, the main accused was finally convicted.
Munna Bajrangi Murder Case
Munna Bajrangi alias Prem Prakash Singh was a gangster who was known for killing BJP MLA, Krishnanand Rai in November 2005. Later on July 9, 2018, he was shot dead by another gangster inside Baghpat Jail.
12. Vizag
Vizag or Vishakhapatnam is one of the most sought places in India for people from the entire country. However, the crime rate reported in this place is also much higher. Some of the crime cases that occurred in Vizag are the following.
Vizag Gang Rape Case
A 16-year-old girl was gang raped by 8 men in Vizag. N Chandrababu Naidu, the former CM of Andhra Pradesh also stated, “My heart aches at this heinous crime in Vizag.”
Odisha Girl Gang Raped in Vizag
A 17-year-old girl from Odisha was gang raped for days together by 13 men in the port city. Out of 13, 11 people were arrested by the police. She was first raped by her boyfriend, and his friend, then a bunch of photographers near RK beach. This incident occurred during the concluding days of December 2023 and gained popularity in January 2024 beginning.
West Bengal Student Dies in Vizag Hostel
On July 14, 2023 a female teenager’s death was reported from a fall at a hostel in Vizag. To prepare for NEET, she got admitted to the coaching institute in Vizag after passing her 10th board. She was transferred to the hospital. However, treatment didn’t begin until her parents reached the hospital and signed the paper on July 16. On the same day, she passed away from multi-organ failure and cardiac arrest.
13. Nagpur
After Mumbai and Pune, Nagpur is the third largest district of Maharashtra. Thus, it holds a huge population as well. It is popularly known as”City of Oranges.” The city of oranges is not only famous for its orange production but also for its high crime rate. Here are some of the brutal cases ever witnessed in Nagpur.
Aditya Bondre Murder Case
A 35-year-old property dealer, Aditya Bondre was brutally killed to death in a moving car in the afternoon on Umred Road. Culprits named Sachin Tendulkar along with two more accused fled the scene. This incident occurred in January 2024.
Nagpur Cafe Extortion Case
A 45-year-old man was arrested by police for falsely claiming himself as a journalist and extorting money from a cafe owner worth ₹20,000. The man was identified as Munna Patel or Mushtaq.
Online Part-time Job Scam
Cases of online part-time job scams have risen in Nagpur. In the wake of this, 25-year-old Batul Saifuddin Ali received a call on August 7 from a fraudster. The unidentified man in the call asked for ₹12 Lakh for providing a part-time online job.
14. Ranchi
Ranchi of Jharkhand is a house to various crimes including Bank Dacoity, Total Murder, Naxal Murder, General Murder, Witch Death, etc. Some of the gruesome and brutal cases that occurred in Ranchi include the following.
Nirupama Pathak Death Case
The death of a 22-year-old woman, Nirupama Pathak sent shockwaves throughout the state. She was found dead in Koderma District of Jharkhand at her parents’ place on April 29, 2010. The prime suspect was Subha Pathak, Nirupama Pathak’s mother.
Kamal Kishor Bhagat Scam
Kamal Kishor Bhagat was a politician from the Jharkhand legislative assembly. In a 1993 murder case, he was convicted as the prime suspect. Later, he was sentenced to imprisonment for seven long years.
1967 Ranchi-Hatia Riots
The Ranchi-Hatia Riots occurred in Ranchi as one of the most brutal and violent communal riots the country has ever witnessed. The riots took place around August 22 to 29, 1967. Reportedly around 195 shops were set on fire after looting and around 184 people were killed in the riots.
15. Cuttack
Cuttack is the Silver City of Odisha very famous for its silver pilgrimage. Moreover, it was previously the capital of the state having immense importance. Here are some of the highly discussed criminal cases that happened in Cuttack.
Anjana Mishra Rape Case
This was a high-profile rape case witnessed in Cuttack, Odisha. On January 9, 1999, the former wife of Subash Chandra Mishra, Anjana Mishra was raped. The victim pointed out J. B. Patnaik, the then Chief Minister, and Indrajit Ray, former Advocate General of Odisha playing a big role in the incident.
1992 Odisha Liquor Deaths
In Cuttack in 1992, gruesome Odisha Liquor Deaths were reported in Cuttack, Odisha. In this incident, more than 200 deaths were reported. People died after consuming poisonous liquor which was brewed illegally. More than 600 people were hospitalized.
2001 Odisha Assembly Attack
In 2001, the Odisha Assembly was attacked brutally by Durga Vahini, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Bajrang Dal on December 16. This incident exuded shockwaves in the entire state creating havoc within the hearts of the residents of the state.
