6 RAPED IN NEW DELHI EVERY DAY

NEW DELHI, India - Delhi Police figures yet again show that the city is unsafe for women. Data of the first four months of this year show that six rapes and 14 molestation cases have been reported every day. Police, however, claim to have solved almost 90% of the cases. 

According to a recent compilation of data by Delhi Police as reported by the Times of India, 616 rapes and 1,336 molestation cases were registered between January 1 and April 30.

36% increase in rape cases compared with around 450 cases registered in the same period last year. 

Cases of molestation recorded in the same corresponding period show a similar rise with over 1,000 registered cases.

Police said over 89% cases of rape and molestation reported in the first four months had been solved and the accused arrested. 

In 2013, a total of 1,559 rape and 3,347 molestation cases were registered as compared with 680 rape and 653 incidents of molestation in 2012. 

Additional commissioner of police (crime branch), Ashok Chand said the increase in the number of cases against women was due to police following the “zero tolerance policy”. “Every case against women is being registered on a priority basis.” 

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Delhi registered the highest 568 cases of rape in the country followed by 218 in Mumbai in 2011. 

Delhi, which earned the infamous tag of “rape capital”, saw street campaigns, especially by the young, in 2012 after a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern was gang-raped by six people, including a minor, and died later of grievous injuries. 

Following the shocking incident, Delhi Police took several steps to ensure safety of women. 

Another senior police officer said data had shown that in 90% of cases people known to the victims were involved, while a small percentage were committed by strangers. 

“In most of the rape and molestation cases, the accused were known to the victim and this makes prevention of such crimes comparatively more difficult.” 

Counting the steps taken by Delhi Police for women’s safety, additional deputy commissioner Varsha Sharma said, “a special police unit for women and children is already in place to handle women-related cases in all 11 districts.

A mobile women police team is also available round the clock to help women in distress.

Source: Agencies