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MP reports highest number of rapes, atrocities against scheduled tribes

58% of the rapes are with minors; total number shows decrease compared to past years

Representative image  | Reuters Representative image | Reuters

Madhya Pradesh has again reported the highest number of rapes in the country and shockingly 58 per cent of the rapes are with minors, figures of crime for year 2020 released by the National Crime Records Bureau show.

Though the absolute numbers of rapes have come down over the past four years, the state continues to bear the ignominy of reporting the highest rapes in the country for the past several years.

Also the state has reported the highest number of cases of atrocities against scheduled tribe people at 2,401. In 2019 this figure was at 1,922 while in 2018 it was at 1,868. Thus in the duration of two years, the state has shown a jump of 28 per cent in atrocities against tribal people while compared to 2019, the rise is 25 per cent.

Ex-chief minister and MP Congress chief Kamal Nath has targeted the state government on the issue. He tweeted to say that according to NCRB, Madhya Pradesh is on the top of the chart in cases of atrocities against tribal people with 2,401 cases registered. Also the state tops as regards crime against children and rape with minors. 

“According to the figures, the state is unsafe for the children. This is the picture of 16 years of rule of the Shivraj government. The incidents of crime against tribal, dalits and marginalised sections have increased since Shivraj government has taken over. Every day, rapes are being reported. Criminals are in high spirits and have no fear of law,” Nath said in his tweets.

Highest rapes, as always

According to the NCRB figures, MP reported 2,339 rapes under Section 376 of Indian Penal Code and 3,259 rapes under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act or rape with minors. This takes the total cases to 5,598.

Also 10 of the rapes under Section 376 are with persons below 18 years or minors and therefore the total number of rapes with minors is at 3,269 – as much as 58.3 per cent of the total rapes. 

Comparatively, Uttar Pradesh reported 5,399 total rapes of which 2,834 are rape with minors, inclusive of 2,630 cases registered under Sections 4 and 6 of POCSO. 

Rajasthan has reported 5,312 total cases of rapes of which 1,281 are rapes with minors. However, the state has reported just two of these minor rapes under POCSO while 1,279 have been reported under section 376 of IPC and mentioned under the category of rapes with women under 18 years of age.

Dip over years

Madhya Pradesh can take succour from the fact that the cases of rapes have shown a dip over the past four years. In the year 2019, the state had reported 5,822 rapes including 3,337 rapes with minors (all under POCSO), total 6,480 rapes in 2018 of which 3,877 (1,047 of POCSO and 2,830 of IPC) were with minors, while in 2017, the state had reported 6,526 rapes, of which 4,030 were with minors (including 964 POCSO and 3,066 IPC cases of rapes with minors).

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