By Pervez Bari
Bhopal: The central state of Madhya Pradesh appears to be most unsafe for children (girls). This conclusion is based on the National Crime Record Bureau, (NCRB), report-2020 which was released on Wednesday.
Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of cases relating to rape with children (girls) suggesting the state being the largely dangerous for children (girls), as per National Crime Record Bureau, (NCRB), report-2020 released on Wednesday.
The report of NCRB of 2019 had said as many as 5,997 women and girls were raped in Rajasthan, followed by Uttar Pradesh (3,065) and Madhya Pradesh (2,485) was at the third place
It may be mentioned here that the NCRB, under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and by special and local laws in the country.
The Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown resulted in a drop in traditional crimes like theft, robbery, and assault on women and children in 2020, but there was a drastic jump in disobedience to government orders, primarily arising due to violations of COVID-19 norms, official data showed.
According to the latest report of the NCRB on ‘Crime in India – 2020’, a total of 66,01,285 cognisable crimes comprising 42,54,356 Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 23,46,929 Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered in 2020.
India reported an average 80 murders daily in 2020, totalling 29,193 fatalities over the year, with Uttar Pradesh topping the chart among states. This was an increase of one per cent over the total 28,915 murders in 2019, with a daily average of 79 killings during the year, the data showed.
National capital Delhi accounted for nearly 40 per cent of all rape cases and almost 25 per cent murder cases among 19 metropolitan cities in India in 2020. Delhi logged 997 such cases during the year, the data showed. Of the total crimes against women last year, the maximum 1,11,549 were under the category “cruelty by husband or relatives”, while there were 62,300 cases of kidnapping and abduction also, it showed.
A girl falls victim to rapist in every 3 hours in MP
As many as 3,259 girls were subjected to rape during the period which means a girl was raped almost every three hours on an average. These crimes were registered under section 376 of IPC and sections 4 and 6 of POCSO. MP was followed by Maharashtra which registered 2785 such cases and UP with 2533 cases. As far as total number of crimes against children is concerned in the state it witnessed a decline in 2020 as compared to the year 2019 but as far as crime rate it concerned it was highest in the country at 59.1. The total number of crimes against children in 2020 stood at 17008 in comparison on 19028 in 2019 and 18992 in 2018. Children were subjected to heinous crimes like murder, murder with rape, abetment of suicide, attempt to murder, infanticide, foeticide, exposure and abandonment etc.
In 2020, as many as 144 children were murdered as per the report. Thus, MP stood third among states as far as murder of children is concerned. Uttar Pradesh topped the chart with 271 murders while Maharashtra recorded 149 murder cases. Thirteen children were murdered after rape in the state, the second highest in the country after UP with 30 such cases. Madhya Pradesh again topped the chart of crime with 73 cases as far as abetment of suicide of children is concerned (reported under section 305 of IPC) followed by 59 in Maharashtra and 50 in West Bengal. After Bihar (136) and Maharashtra (37) MP had the maximum number of children- 26 on whose lives attempts were made.
MP 3rd topper in rape cases
Madhya Pradesh is the 3rd topper in rape cases according to a report of the NCRB-2020. In 2020, as many as 2,341 women and girls were allegedly raped in the state of Madhya Pradesh, according to the report.
The state of Rajasthan is at the top with 5,310 rape cases, followed by the state of Uttar Pradesh with 2,769 cases. In the state of Madhya Pradesh, 2,341 women and girls are raped in the year 2020.
In the year 2020, there were rape attempts on as many as 34 women and girls, but they managed to escape from the clutches of the criminals somehow. Out of the 2,341 rapes, 10 girls of age less than 18 years were raped and out of 34 attempted rapes 11 were minors.
45 women violated in MP every week
Meanwhile, the state of Madhya Pradesh saw rape of 45 women every week last year. An NCRB report reveals this sordid saga about the state that the fair sex are in. As far as violation of women goes, Madhya Pradesh is on the third place, the report says.
According to data released by NCRB nearly 77 rape cases were reported across India on an average every day in 2020, totalling to 28,046 such incidents during the year.
Overall, 3,71,503 cases of crime against women were reported across the country last year, down from 4,05,326 in 2019 and 3,78,236 in 2018, the NCRB, which functions under the Union home ministry, stated.
Of the total cases of crimes against women in 2020, there were 28,046 incidents of rape involving 28,153 victims, according to the NCRB data for the year, which witnessed COVID-19 outbreak and pandemic-induced lockdowns. Out of the total victims, 25,498 were adults, while 2,655 were below the age of 18 years, it stated.
The number of rape cases, as defined in IPC section 376, stood at 32,033 in 2019, 33,356 in 2018 and 32,559 in 2017. The figure for 2016 was 38,947, according to NCRB data from corresponding years.
Among states and Union Territories, the maximum 5,310 rape cases were lodged in Rajasthan in 2020 followed by Uttar Pradesh (2,769), Madhya Pradesh (2,339), Maharashtra (2,061) and Assam (1,657).
Besides rape, there were 85,392 cases of “assault to outrage modesty” and 3,741 cases of “attempt to commit rape”, the NCRB data showed. There were 105 cases of acid attack logged across the country during 2020, it added. India also recorded 6,966 cases of dowry deaths with 7,045 victims last year, the data showed.
MP 2nd in crimes against elderly
Meanwhile, according to the NCRB data Madhya Pradesh recorded the second highest number of crimes against senior citizens in 2020. There was a significant rise in cases in the state from 4184 in 2019 to 4602 in 2020.
However, Indore recorded only 95 cases in this category, maintaining a low for the fourth year in a row. Overall, there was a decrease of 10.8% in the crimes against senior citizens in the country as compared to last year.
Indore, however, has remained constant for the past four years. The numbers had started decreasing in the city from 2015. Indore managed to reduce the crimes from 58 in 2016 to 0 in 2017, and then it rose to 114 in 2018 and 100 in 2019, which again reduced to 95 in 2020.
It may be pointed out here that IG Harinarayanachari Mishra had started these schemes in 2016. He said that Zero tolerance towards crimes against senior citizens has really helped us come a long way.
While, ASP Prashant Choubey, who has been the in-charge of programmes for senior citizens for the past few years in Indore, said that they have roped in over 26500 senior citizens in their silver card schemes, of which, 5,500 live alone in the city.
Indore in top 3 metropolitan cities of drug peddlers
Among the 19 metropolitan cities in the state, Indore has witnessed the highest number of assault cases. There have been 2,865 cases of minor assaults registered in 2020, according to NCRB report.
Besides, the trend of possessing illegal arms in the city is also alarming, as among the metropolitan cities in the country, Indore has the second-highest number of cases registered under the Arms Act. There have been 1,405 cases of Arms Act registered with the police, last year. Similarly, the city is among the first three cities in the country, under the metropolitan category, where drug-peddlers have been booked.
Even people behind closed doors not safe
Although, most of the time, people remained behind closed doors in the year 2020 because of the corona pandemic, cases of murder increased to 2,155 in MP. The state of Bihar is the topper with 3,195 cases of murder reported in the year 2020. Maharashtra was at second position in the country with as many as 2,129 people murdered during the year.
Earlier, a special trend was seen in the state of Madhya Pradesh where a drop in the number of murder cases was seen over the past three years. In Madhya Pradesh, in the year 2017, as many as 1,908 people had been murdered; in the year 2018, the number of cases decreased to 1,879; and, in the year 2019, the number dropped to 1,795. But, in the year 2020, the number increased to 2,155 in the pandemic year.
Three murders were reported during a dacoity in Madhya Pradesh in the year 2020. In the state of Chhattisgarh, 17 cases of murder and dacoity were reported and three cases were reported in the state of Maharashtra.
People of the state of Madhya Pradesh are also not far behind in keeping arms. They adore keeping the arms with them. In the year 2020, as many as 12,977 cases under the Arms Act were reported. In Uttar Pradesh, the highest number of 33,578 cases under the Arms Act were reported and, in the state of Rajasthan, 5,199 cases were reported.
Gambling
People of Madhya Pradesh are also gambling enthusiasts; as many as 27,975 cases were registered in the state—the highest in the country. While in Rajasthan, 17,774 cases of gambling were registered; in the state of Gujarat, 17,226 cases of gambling were reported in the year 2020.
Bought for prostitution: As many as 5,431 women became victim of assault on women with intent to outrage their modesty. Among them 127 were minors. Alarmingly, 24 children were procured for prostitution in the state.
Minors below 12 years: As many as 5,670 children below the age of 12 years were sexually assaulted, sexual harassed and forced into pornography in MP. The state of Uttar Pradesh was at the first place with 6,904 cases, followed by Maharashtra (5,756) and Madhya Pradesh (5,670)
Children kidnapped: In the reported year, 3,914 children were assumed as kidnapped in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Maharashtra was at the first place with 3,917 kidnappings and Odisha at third place with 3,666
Shelter home girls: Sick people did not even spare women and girls living in shelter homes of the state. As many as 65 women and girls faced sexual harassment in MP. In Maharashtra, 95 cases were reported and in Gujarat, 63 cases
Sold for prostitution: According to a report, four girls were sold for prostitution in MP, nine in Bihar and two in Gujarat
Cases of mischief: Cases of mischief are also causing problems to people of the state. People of MP had filed 447 cases at police stations. In Maharashtra, 498 cases were filed and in Tamil Nadu, 227 cases
Atrocities against SC/ST increase in MP
Every year, atrocities against SC and ST people are increasing in the state, says NCRB report. In 2018, the number was 4,753, which increased to 5,300 in 2019 and it reached 7229 in 2020. Madhya Pradesh is the 3rd topper in the country where cases of atrocity act are registered. Uttar Pradesh tops list with 10,360 cases followed by Bihar with 7663 cases and MP with 7229 cases. In MP, a total 509 SC/ST women were raped including 204 minors. Importantly, 82 were less than 12 years. As many as 10 girls were kidnapped for marriage and 99 women had faced sexual harassment and 45 of them faced voyeurism in 2020.