UP is No.1 in ‘crime against minors’

Children continue to be the most vulnerable section of society, especially in Uttar Pradesh. With 15.8% share in cases of crime against minors across the country, the state has again topped the list.

UP had ranked No.1 in 2011 with 16.6% of the total cases in India. While 5,500 cases were reported in 2011, there were 6,033 cases in 2012 - an increase of 9.6%.

These startling facts were revealed by the latest data released by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), which showed a 15.3% spurt in such cases across the country in 2012 as compared to 2011. Second on the list is Madhya Pradesh (13.5% cases) followed by New Delhi (11.7% cases) and Maharashtra (9.5%).

The elaboration of the annual crime figures revealed that the major heads (in percentage) under ‘crime against children’ data in 2012 were kidnapping and abduction (47.9% cases), rape (22.4% cases), murder (4.2%) and illegal detention of minor girls (2.2%).

Rights activists apprehended that that the figures could rise further, looking at the state of affairs in UP. “Children feature nowhere on the state’s priority list. There are no policies for children and no implementation of the existing rules,” said an activist. Anshumali Sharma, director, Childline Lucknow, said: “The society and state both would have to take the onus of the condition of children that is getting worse with every passing year.”
While UP lacks a child rights commission (guidelines for which were laid years ago), the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) is yet to get implemented here.

Leave alone the new laws, the state has failed to even implement the laws that have been prescribed by the Centre and adopted by several other states.
“The rising crime against children graph was quite prominent even in the middle of the year, reason being the state’s negligence,” said Vinod Chandra, member, child welfare committee.