Mumbai: Crimes like rape and molestation have witnessed almost a three-fold increase in the metropolis since 2010-11 raising questions over safety of women, children and senior citizens, according to a survey conducted by a city-based NGO.
In 2014, rape cases rose by 49 per cent compared to 2013, while molestation went up by 39 per cent, said Nitai Mehta, founder and managing trustee of Praja Foundation, quoting its survey.
In a span of four years from 2010-11 to 2014-15, rape cases jumped by 290 per cent and molestation cases were up by 247 per cent, Mehta said.
In 2010-11, only 165 rape cases were registered while in 2014-15, this number reached 643, he said.
Another matter of concern is the poor conviction rate in rape cases , he said adding “there were only 27 per cent convictions in 2014, compared to 57 per cent in UK last year.”
However, chain-snatching incidents decreased by 44 per cent in year 2014-15 as compared to previous years.
Also, cases of theft and stolen vehicles as well as rioting dropped in 2014-15 than in 2013-14, Mehta said.
Although, overall crime in the city has decreased in past four years, cases of murder in 2014-15 rose by a dozen than in year 2013-14, he said.
South Mumbai registered the highest number of crimes in 2014-15 with 9,203 cases lodged in Byculla, Colaba, Worli and Malabar Hill. Of this, majority of them were theft cases.
While in South-Central Mumbai constituency, which includes areas of Chembur, Sion-Koliwada and Mahim, the highest number of rape cases were registered.
The NGO conducted a household survey among 22,850 citizens across the city, in which 51 per cent of the respondents from South Mumbai were of the opinion that they face the maximum crimes.
Also, around 40 per cent people in South Mumbai feel that their women, children and senior citizens are unsafe.
Further, 75 per cent of the respondents approached police to register the crimes of which 53 per cent said they felt satisfied with the police work, said Mehta.
On staff crisis in city police deparment, Mehta said that overall the force is 11 per cent understaffed.
However, DCP (Detection) Dhananjay Kulkarni said that the fgure is 1.35 per cent.
There is around 51 per cent staff shortage in the city’s control room, Mehta claimed.
From 2013-14 and 2014-15, the NGO studied around 550 cases in the sessions court here, from which they learnt that the city police was able to get convictions in just 127 cases while the accused in 423 cases were acquitted, he said.
Also, during winter session in 2014 and the subsequent budget session this year, only six questions on rapes in Mumbaiwere raised by MLAs, informed Mehta.
