Even in Gujarat, often seen as a safe and peaceful state, elderly citizens are increasingly becoming vulnerable to crime. Seniors living alone, especially without family support, are frequent targets for thieves and criminals.The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report shows a worrying rise in cases of murder, robbery, kidnapping, and assault against the elderly in Ahmedabad.Across Gujarat too, crimes involving senior citizens have gone up, exposing the risks they face as joint family systems decline and more children move away or abroad.
In Ahmedabad, police register about 15 crimes a month against those aged 60 and above. NCRB data for the past year shows:
8 elderly citizens were murdered
22 cases of assault and physical attacks reported
1 elderly person kidnapped
76 burglaries targeted elderly homes
25 cases of intimidation and 29 of financial fraud recorded
In total, 184 crimes against seniors were reported in 2023 in Ahmedabad. Police arrested 181 men and 29 women in these cases, but many remain unresolved. At present, 117 cases are still pending, underlining the urgent need for stronger safety measures to protect the city’s elderly residents.