Question : ATROCITIES AGAINST SC ST WOMEN

(a) whether atrocities against SC/ST women and children are on the rise in the country;

(b) if so, the total number of such cases registered during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise and crimewise including murder, riots and sexual harassment;

(c) the total number of accused arrested, put on trial and conviction rate achieved during the said period alongwith the action taken against them, State-wise;

(d) the total number of such cases solved/unsolved alongwith the steps taken to solve all the cases and ensure a higher conviction rate;

(e) the action taken against the offenders including panchayat bodies reported to have punished the SC/ST women and children harshly for petty offences; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to check such incidents in future?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (f): As per the information provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), separate data on atrocities against SC/ST women and children are not maintained. However crimes against SC/ST, under headings of murder, riots and rape for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 are given at Annexure.

As per Seventh Schedule, ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Constitution, and as such the primary responsibility of prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of crimes, including crimes against SC/ST women and Children, lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. However, the Union Government attaches highest importance to the matter of prevention and control of crime against SC/ST Women and Children. Ministry of Home Affairs has sent detailed advisories dated 01st April, 2010, 14th July, 2010 and 4th September, 2009 on crimes against SC/ST Children and Women respectively to all State Governments/UTs.

The advisory on SC/ST has enumerated various steps, viz; vigorous and conscientious enforcement of the statutory provisions and the existing legislations; sensitizing the law enforcement machinery towards crimes against SCs/STs by way of well-structured training programmes, conferences and seminars etc.; improving general awareness about legislations on crimes against SCs/STs, develop a community monitoring system to check cases of violence, abuse and exploitation; no delay in the registration of FIR in cases of crimes against SCs/STs; identification of for the economic and social atrocity-prone areas for taking preventive measures; adequate measures rehabilitation of the victims of atrocities etc.

The advisory on women and children have inter-alia, advised to adopt appropriate measures for swift and salutary punishment to the persons found guilty of violence against women, improve the quality of investigations, minimize delays in investigations of crime against women, set up ‘Crime against Women Cells’ in districts, advised to undertake gender sensitization of the police personnel, special women courts and initiate steps for security of women working in night shifts at call centres. Majority of the States/ UTs have established ‘Women Cells’. Some States/UTs have also set up ‘All Women Police stations’ at district level and ‘Mahila /children help desk’ at police station level.