Question : Atrocities against STs

(a) whether incidents of offences/ atrocities against the people belonging to the Scheduled Tribes (STs) community are on the rise in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the number of such cases registered, disposed of, persons convicted and the rate of conviction achieved during each of the last three years and the current year, crime and State/UT-wise;
(c) whether there is inordinate delay in the disposal of such cases;
(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the corrective steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard; and
(e) the concrete measures being taken by the Government to curb atrocities against the ST community including effective implementation of the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 enacted for the purpose?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA)

(a) & (b): The State-wise details of total number of cases registered (CR), Charge sheeted (CS), Case Convicted (CC), Persons Arrested (PAR), Persons Charged Sheeted (PCS) and Persons Convicted (PCV) in the cases of crimes against members of ST Community during the years 2012-2014 and current year are given at Annex-I, II & III.
(c) to (e): As per the information available the disposal of cases are generally influenced by several factors like witnesses turning hostile, belated prosecution, loss of interest by the victims and witnesses due to long delay in completion of trial, absence of corroborative evidence etc. The provisions of the SCs & STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 are implemented by the concerned State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Central assistance is provided to them mainly for functioning and strengthening of the SC and ST Protection Cell, Special Police Stations, setting up of exclusive Special Courts, relief and rehabilitation of atrocity victims and awareness generation. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has also been addressing them from time to time to implement provisions of the Act in letter and spirit, with specific emphasis on setting up of exclusive special courts for speedy trial of cases, sensitization of investigating officers, mass awareness programmes, review of cases ending in acquittal. A Committee under the Chairpersonship of Union Minster for Social Justice & Empowerment which was constituted in the year 2006, also periodically reviews implementation of the Act in State/UTs. Such a review has been done in respect of 24 States and 4 Union Territories.