BHOPAL: Girls aged between 6 and 18 years and elderly women are most vulnerable to rapes in Madhya Pradesh revealed the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.
According to NCRB data for 2017, which was released on Monday after a delay of more than a year, Madhya Pradesh continues to have dubious distinction of being h the rape capital of the country.
A total 5599 girls and women were reportedly raped in the central Indian state in 2017 which was 14.6% more than 4882 victims/cases reported in 2016.But the minor and teenage girls (aged between 6 and 18 years) and middle-aged and elderly women (aged between 45 and 60 years and above) continued to form the bulk of alleged rape victims in the state.
NCRB figures revealed that MP reported the maximum cases of rape cases/victims reported in 2017 in the country, besides it was also had highest number of cases when it came to rape with girls aged between 6 and 18 years, as well as rapes with women aged between 45 and 60 years and those aged 60 or above. Further analysis showed that when it came to total number of rape cases with women/adult victims nationally, MP reported 10% all cases nationally by reporting 2517 cases. But in cases of rape with minor girls MP with 3082 cases accounted for 30% of total such cases nationally in 2017.
While MP with 50 cases/victims was second to UP nationally in cases of rape with girls below 6 years, it was placed on top in the country in rape cases with girls aged between 6 and 12 years (207 cases), 12-16 years (1275 cases) and 16-18 years (1550 cases). In the young age and early middle-age groups 18-30 and 30-45, MP stood third in the country.
Over 45-year-old women raped most in state: However, in cases of rapes with women aged 45-60, the state again topped nationally with 104 cases, while Assam was second with 75 cases. In cases of rapes with women aged 60 years and above also, MP again was ranked first with 46 cases, followed by Kerala with 25 cases. An age-wise break also showed that MP accounting for 17% of rape cases nationally (figure was 15.4% in 2016) in below six years age group, 26% in cases happening with girls aged between 6-12 years, 34% (12-16 years), 29% (16-18 years), just 10% (18-30 years), 13% (30-45 years), 21% (45-60 years) and 34% (women aged 60 and above).
24% increase in cases of rapes with minor, teenage girls: A comparative study of rape cases (as per age groups of rape survivors/victims) in 2017 as compared 2016 in MP, showed a 24% increase in cases of rapes with minor and teenage girls. A further age wise break up revealed that number of cases rose by 24% in 2017 compared to 2016 in cases of rape with girls aged below six years, a 35% increase was seen in rape cases with girls aged between 6-12 years, 32% rise in cases of rape with girls aged between 12-16 years and 17% increase in cases of rapes with girls aged between 16-18 years.
Additional Director General of Police (ADG Crime Against Women) Anvesh Mangalam said, “I haven’t studied the latest NCRB report in detail till now. It cannot be denied that MP has been reporting maximum rape cases in the country over the last several years, but the police can only probe and prosecute the cases and such crimes cannot be prevented by police alone. Host of cultural and social factors are also responsible for spurt in such cases. MP police is doing its best to punish the wrongdoers, as in the last one year, 2000-plus accused have been convicted in such cases and 31 convicts have been awarded death penalty by courts, while 200 other rape convicts have been awarded life imprisonment by courts due to proper and speedy prosecution/trial.”
