Under 18, but brazen: Why murders by minors are emerging as major concern

Last week, Delhi witnessed three back-to-back crimes committed by teenagers. Five minor boys got drunk and committed two murders and robberies within two hours in east Delhi. Around 24 hours later, three juveniles fatally stabbed a man in north Delhi only because he asked them for directions. In a third incident in the same week, a man was critically wounded during a stabbing in south Delhi.An analysis of crimes reported of late in the capital indicates that 3-4 murders are committed by juveniles every month. In general, around 40 murders are reported in the city each month. The crimes involving minors are increasingly troubling because several cases have exhibited an extreme level of brutality. Last year, a teenager was booked for stabbing a youth over 50 times and then dancing over his lifeless body.Delhi holds the infamous tag of having the highest number of crimes committed by teenagers. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in 2022, more minor offenders were busted in Delhi than in states such as Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. Juveniles were found to be involved in 2,436 criminal cases reported in Delhi in that year.Between January 2022 and May 2024, as many as 259 minors were involved in serious crimes, such as murder, attempted murder, rape, robbery and extortion, police data revealed.medium nocaption118554324medium nocaption118554348Getting away with murderWorryingly, the teenagers now seem more aware that they can get away with crime. A few years ago, a study conducted by Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights found that around 70% of the children in detention centres were unaware about the consequences of their criminal acts. However, the trend these days is of juveniles boasting on social media about their acts and even uploading pictures of police raiding their homes. They post that the law is lenient towards them and that they would strike again after release from the shelter home.Given their bravado and the latitude given to them by law, there is a surge in the recruitment of juveniles by gangs to carry out killings or intimidatory shootings in extortion cases. Kingpins of these gangs educate these youngsters that they can’t be sent to prison because they are under 18 years.Police cannot, by law, also interrogate minors officially. The police are unable to use any disclosure to nail the higher ups in the gang. Police say they are doing their best, including writing to the juvenile justice board about the need to try the borderline delinquents as adults. Last year, over a dozen such applications were moved.TOI spoke to mental health experts who observed that environmental stressors, lack of parental guidance, unfiltered access to social media and exposure to violence contribute to delinquent behaviour among young individuals. Psychiatrists also said conduct disorders, marked by aggressive behaviour, could be detected early and timely counselling provided to prevent this from going out of control.Senior consulting psychiatrist Nimesh Desai said, “Some children are more susceptible to displaying violent behaviour and are, therefore, more vulnerable to crime. It is crucial to identify early indicators, such as harming animals for pleasure or stealing without experiencing guilt. Such acts are significant warning signs. While parents may believe that affection or basic counselling can correct such behaviours, it is always advisable to consult a specialist.”Dr Jitendra Nagpal, another senior consulting psychiatrist, said anger, hostility and aggression are crucial early indicators. “Hostile behaviour towards peers, whether at school or home, is often normalised, but it shouldn’t be. Signs like teeth grinding and visible frustration in children as young as 7-9 years old should be taken seriously. Parents must ensure they are not immediately giving in to every demand because the children need to develop patience and tolerance.”He added, “The problem is that children often look up to the wrong role models. When parents fail to communicate with them, they turn to social media, where they see people brandishing weapons, committing crimes and seemingly getting away with it. This influences young minds and shapes perceptions of power and success.”Some of these disturbing tendencies may stem from psychobiological factors, including genetic predispositions, pointed out Dr Desai. However, he stressed that environmental influences played the major role, citing exposure to violent media as a big factor. He also noted that organised crime networks exploited vulnerable children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.While Dr Desai underscored that the key to preventing juvenile delinquency was identifying warning signs and acting on them before a crime was committed, Dr Nagpal pointed out that juvenile delinquency was not limited to any one socio-economic background. “While children from economically backward households are vulnerable, those from neo-rich families also engage in destructive behaviours,” he said. “Some sell prized possessions to fund substance abuse, while others seek power through reckless acts like underage driving and brandishing weapons. The unregulated access to resources can be just as harmful as deprivation,” he said.