Crime against women on the rise

The annual crime statistics for Maharashtra have been compiled; and the news is not good with 9.8 per cent rise, reports Satyajit Joshi.

The annual crime statistics for Maharashtra have been compiled, and the news is not good. The Crime in Maharashtra (2005) report — prepared by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and released on Tuesday — says serious offences against women rose by 9.85 per cent in 2005 from the previous year.

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About 15,000 cases of crime against women were reported, mainly relating to dowry, abetment to commit suicide, rape, kidnapping, sexual harassment and molestation. The report says 1,545 rapes took place in Maharashtra in 2005, up from 1,388 the previous year. There were 3,228 cases of molestation in 2005 (2,831 the previous year). The number of sexual harassment cases rose to 919 from 862 in 2004.

Crime against children increased marginally by 1.05 per cent. The report says 2,305 cases such crimes were reported in 2005 as against 2,281 the previous year.

Crime, on the whole, rose 6.1 per cent.

Superintendent of Police of CID Dilip Bhujbal, who played a leading role in preparing the report, said the statistics were ready three months ago but could not be released because of the model code of conduct enforced for local self-government polls. The report, he said, covers the period between January 1 to December 31, 2005.

Mumbai not so bad

The Mumbai police, incidentally, hasn’t done too badly. Its 600 sq km jurisdiction has recorded a marginal increase of 0.04 per cent. In 2004, Mumbai recorded 35,798 cognisable offences. In 2005, the number rose to 35,811. The numbers of murders, in fact, fell to 212 from 253 in 2004.

Mumbai tops the state in suicides — 1,192 in 2005.

The number of communal riots was down to only one as against nine in 2004.

Email Satyajit: satyajit.joshi@hindustantimes.com