What Did Comedian Harsh Gujral Say About Uttar Pradesh's Crime Rate? A Hilarious Take!

Harsh Gujral's Humorous Take on Crime in Uttar Pradesh

Mumbai: Comedian and actor Harsh Gujral recently shared a humorous story regarding the declining crime rates in Uttar Pradesh.

An older clip from the UP Creators Summit & Awards 2026 has gone viral, featuring Gujral recounting a funny encounter while standing alongside UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

During his speech, he recounted, “Let me share a real-life example. While in Lucknow for a performance, I took a stroll and asked a banana vendor about the crime situation in UP. He confidently replied that crime has significantly decreased. Curious, I asked how he knew this. He said, ‘I’m a criminal myself, but I’m not selling bananas.’ Thank you for this award, Uttar Pradesh Rocks!”

Although Gujral's story was light-hearted, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data reveals varying trends in the crime rate in Uttar Pradesh over the years. In 2016, the rate was recorded at 225.3 cases per lakh population, which increased to 278.2 in 2019 and further to 287.4 in 2020. It then saw a drop to 262.5 in 2021 and 171.6 in 2022, before sharply rising to 335.3 in 2023.

In 2023, Uttar Pradesh reported around 7.93 lakh cases under the Indian Penal Code and Special and Local Laws, with its crime rate still below the national average of 448.3.

On the topic of Harsh Gujral, he made his entry into Bollywood with the film Mere Husband Ki Biwi, directed by Mudassar Aziz. This romantic comedy featured stars like Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, and Rakul Preet Singh, with Gujral playing a supporting role.

The film premiered on February 21, 2025.