Chief Minister claims significant decline in crime rate in Assam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that there has been a significant decline in the crime rate in the state. The Assam Police have been facing criticism following the death of a 34-year-old man in a police 'encounter', who was accused of murdering five people at a Guwahati hotel on 26 October. A day after this incident, the Chief Minister emphasised the declining crime situation in the state.

Sharing information via social media on Thursday, 5 November, 2026, the Chief Minister cited government figures. He stated that the investigation process has now become faster, the conviction rate is increasing, and the crime rate is continuously declining.

The Chief Minister shared several graphics, which showed that the crime rate in Assam was 379 per lakh population in 2021, which decreased to 121.5 in 2025. This represents a decline of approximately 68%. Additionally, a major surge has been observed in the rate of filing charge sheets, which was 48.8% in 2016 and increased to 87.66% by 2019.

According to another graphic, the conviction rate was only 5.5% in 2020, which has increased to 30.88% by September 2026. Regarding these figures, the Chief Minister said, "This increase in the conviction rate shows a significant change in the outcomes of cases."

According to a report by The Hindu, the Chief Minister has highlighted the improvements made in the state's law and order situation through all these figures. He claims that the decline in crime is due to the speed of investigation and the increasing rates of conviction in court.