Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The year 2022 brought respite in the sense that crime against women lessened. About 520 cases of crime against women were registered in 2022 against 4,036 recorded in 2021.
However, the number of rape, dowry harassment, domestic violence cases increased in 2022 as compared to 2021.
Statistics revealed by Bhopal police commissionerate for both 2021 and 2022 revealed that the number of rape cases in Bhopal stood at 324, which rose to 352 in 2022. The maximum number of rape cases was reported from Shahjahanabad, Ashoka Garden, Hanumanganj and Koh-e-fiza in the city.
Similarly, cases pertaining to dowry demand, which were just seven in 2021 in Bhopal increased to 33 in 2022. The cases of domestic violence rose from 633 in 2021 to 665 in 2022.
However, murder cases dropped from 14 in 2021 to 12 in 2022, chain snatching cases came down from eight in 2021 to seven in 2022 and abduction cases decreased from 379 in 2021 to 359 in 2022.
Citing reason, senior police officials said that a majority of women who fell prey to the offence belonged to backward areas of Bhopal, for whom, learning self-defence or raising voice against accused was a far cry.
Mahila thana officials attributed the rise in dowry harassment cases in 2022 to increasing awareness among women about their legal rights.
Overall crime rate to slide: ACP Atulkar
Additional Commissioner of Police Sachin Atulkar said that increased awareness among women led to decrease in crimes committed against them. As Bhopal police commissionerate is tightening noose around criminals, overall crime rate in the city is expected to slide further, he added.
