UP tops in sexual offences against children: NCRB data
UP reported 6,898 cases of Pocso Act in 2020, followed by Maharashtra with around 5,687 cases, Madhya Pradesh 5,648 , Tamil Nadu 3,090 and West Bengal 2,657 cases
LUCKNOW Even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was cracking down on sexual abuse and circulation of child pornography material across the country, Uttar Pradesh tops in the number of incidents related to sexual offences against children, according to the latest data of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB).
The CBI on Tuesday had detained at least 10 people during raids at 77 locations across 14 states and Union territories, in a drive against on sexual abuse and circulation of child pornography material. Raids were carried out at 11 locations in various districts across UP also. As many as 23 FIRs were registered against 83 accused people, in the last two days, for allegedly posting and circulating child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) through various social media platforms.
The NCRB data released in September this year stated that 47,221 cases of Prevention of Child from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act were reported in 28 states and eight union territories across the country. Of these, UP reported the maximum – 6,898 cases of Pocso Act in 2020. UP is followed by Maharashtra with around 5,687 Pocso cases, Madhya Pradesh 5,648 cases, Tamil Nadu 3,090 and West Bengal 2,657 cases.
The nationwide data revealed that 2,630 cases out of 6,898 cases reported in UP were related to Sections 4 and 6 of Pocso Act for unnatural sex and penetrative sex with children. The victims in as many as cases included 2,533 girls and 97 boys. Out of the total cases in UP, around 3,897 were related to sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault with children that included 3,881 girl victims and 16 boys.
Moreover, around 68 cases were related to sodomy with 67 boys and one girl victim, as per the NCRB data.
“This trend indicates that paedophiles and child pornography addicts are now dependent on web content, especially during Covid lockdown. This is an unsafe trend for children living around them,” said Umesh Gupta, a child rights activist based in Lucknow. He said, “Parents have to take extra care of their children during lockdown.” Gupta also urged the government to issue special guidelines highlighting this risk.
Another Lucknow-based child rights activist and former member of Lucknow Child Welfare Committee Sangeeta Sharma said, “We have come across such reports and it is very alarming. Earlier, the UN body alerted the Indian government and police about such a trend but it kept rising. To curb this, we have to strengthen our child protection network of government and independent agencies,” she added.
However, UP Police ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar had earlier stated that the rate of crime against children in UP (8.1 per lakh population) was quite low as compared to the national rate of crime against children (10.6 per lakh population). He said the rate of crime against children related to sexual offences decreased in recent years and currently the state stood at 24th position among all states and union territories across the country.
