The state capital witnessed a sharp rise in accidental deaths in 2024, with fatalities increasing by 40.1% over the previous year, according to the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) latest report ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2024’ released on Wednesday.
Lucknow recorded 1,006 accidental deaths in 2024 compared to 718 in 2023, marking an increase of 288 deaths in a year. The figures place the city among the major cities reporting one of the steepest rises in accidental fatalities in the country.
The NCRB data also showed a steep increase in deaths caused by “forces of nature” in Lucknow. Such fatalities rose from three in 2023 to 17 in 2024, registering a 466.7% increase.
Deaths due to “other causes”, including road accidents and urban mishaps, also climbed from 715 to 989, indicating growing traffic pressure and urban infrastructure strain in the expanding city.
Men accounted for the majority of the victims. Of the 1,006 deaths recorded in 2024, 848 victims were men and 158 were women.
Young adults emerged as the most affected category. According to the age-wise distribution, 539 people aged between 18 and 30 years died in accidents, while 382 deaths were reported in the 30-45 age group. Another 105 deaths occurred among people aged 45-60 years and 38 deaths involved persons above 60 years.
The NCRB report also pointed to a toll on children and teenagers. Lucknow recorded 132 deaths among children below 14 years and 75 deaths in the 14-18 age group.
Experts said the figures reflect increasing risks linked to rapid urbanisation, rising traffic density, inadequate pedestrian safety measures, poor drainage systems and greater exposure to extreme weather conditions.
The city’s rising vehicle population, ongoing construction work and congestion on arterial roads are also believed to have contributed to the increase in accidental deaths.
Lucknow’s accidental death count remained higher than several other major cities in Uttar Pradesh. Agra recorded 761 accidental deaths in 2024, while Varanasi reported 361 deaths.
At the national level, accidental deaths rose by 5.3% in 2024, but Lucknow’s 40.1% increase was much higher than the national average for cities. The NCRB report noted that while infrastructure expansion in Lucknow has accelerated over the past decade, urban safety systems, disaster preparedness, traffic management and emergency response mechanisms have not expanded at the same pace.
