Of 89,875 persons kidnapped or abducted in 2016, most (38% or 33,855 people) were abducted for marriage, according to the 2016 Crime in India report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the latest available.

Close to 75% or 66,525 of all victims kidnapped or abducted in 2016 were women or young girls, the data show. More than half of these cases, or 51%, were for marriage, followed by 2.7% of such crimes committed for illicit sex.

Source: Crime in India, 2016, National Crime Records Bureau

In 44% of cases related to the kidnapping or abduction of females, the cause was not defined.

Maximum victims kidnapped or abducted were in the age group of 18 to 30 years (21,924 victims), and 16 to 18 years (20,838 victims).

Among 23,350 male victims kidnapped or abducted in 2016, more than a quarter, or 27%, were in the age group of 12 to 16 years (6,225 victims). In most (86%) cases related to kidnapping or abduction of men/young boys, the purpose was not defined and has been categorised as "other", NCRB data show.

Source: Crime in India, 2016, National Crime Records Bureau

Murder was the second leading cause of kidnapping and abduction of males in 2016, accounting for 4% cases.

Based on the crime rate per 100,000 population, Delhi was the worst among 36 states and union territories for kidnapping and abduction, followed by Assam and Gujarat, according to the NCRB report.

Most cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh (15,898 cases or 18%), Maharashtra (9,333 cases or 11%) and Bihar (7,324 cases or 8%).

During the year, 69,599 kidnapped or abducted persons (18,974 males and 50,625 females, 43%) were found out of 158,747 persons kidnapped or abducted at the end of 2016 including unsolved cases at the end of December 2015.

Among those found, 69,274 persons were rescued alive, while 325 persons were found dead. Meanwhile, 89,148 abducted persons are still missing, the data show.

(Saldanha is an assistant editor with IndiaSpend and FactChecker.)

Alison Saldanha