MUMBAI: The latest Mumbai police crime report has thrown up a shocking fact— the number of city women murdered more than tripled from 9 in 2011 to 30 in 2012. It translates into a 233% rise.The numbers till May 2013 are still more shocking with 17 cases already registered throwing up the scary prospect of a further rise this year. Between 2008 and May 2013, the city recorded murders of 81 women, 66 children and 992 men.

The statewide figures are worse. The latest National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report says on an average 83 women or girls are killed every month in Maharashtra. The state has the dubious distinction of topping the list of states with most number of women murdered for five consecutive years between 2008 and 2012 with as many as 5,158 cases of female murders.

Crime experts, psychiatrists and investigators said most adult women’s murders are over suspected infidelity, extra-marital relationships and failed relationships.

The latest in the city’s rising killings of women was the murder of a 19-year-old housewife by her boyfriend in Kanjurmarg on the night of July 5. Ramakant Sontake (23) was arrested for the murder of Puja Gaikwad.

”Crime of passion is the commonly observed reason for such violent crime against women. Study of past cases highlighted that the maximum number of women killed fall in the 18-30 age group. The reason is jealousy. While killing of women above 50 years is mainly for property,” said Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police (crime).

The report said from 2008 to 2012, the major female murders in the state were in the age group of 18-30 with 2,614 cases, followed by 1,541 cases in the 30-50 group, and 450 and 374 cases of those aged above 50 years and up to 10, respectively.

”Younger women protest, fight back against injustice and therefore are attacked. Crimes of passion always involve the young as they are involved in such relationship till it gets sour,” said psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty. ”Women of all ages are vulnerable to violence.”

”With women venturing out more in a number for jobs and for other professional reasons, chances of their falling prey to strained personal relations and emotional setbacks have risen,” said S P S Yadav, former Thane police commissioner. Former IPS officer turned lawyer Y P Singh added that an overwhelming number of women killed either by way of murders or abetment to suicides is because of dowry demands of husbands or his relatives. While failed love affair or dispute over extramarital affair is another major reason.

”Most murders of women fall in the age group of 18-30 because they may not know how to handle relations,” Mamta Sharma, chairperson of the National Commission for Women ( NCW) in New Delhi, told TOI.

Maharashtra leads with 5,158 cases, though Andhra Pradesh is ahead in killings of women aged above 50 and Uttar Pradesh tops in the 10-15 and 15-18 age category, the report said.