Congress MLA from Jaura, Pankaj Upadhyay, has raised serious concerns about the rising incidents of sexual violence in Madhya Pradesh, revealing alarming statistics presented by the Home Minister in the State Assembly. According to the data shared, 20 rapes were reported daily across the state in 2024, marking a 19% increase compared to previous years.
Upadhyay highlighted that rape cases in Madhya Pradesh surged from 6,134 in 2020 to 7,294 in 2024. Furthermore, the 2023-24 annual report presented in the Assembly listed 5,374 rape cases. However, official records indicate that 7,202 rape cases were actually reported during this period. Among these, 3,831 cases involved women from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), whereas the official report only mentioned 883 cases.
According to the data, there has been a significant increase in rape cases among different social groups over the past five years. Rape incidents increased by 10% among Scheduled Castes, 26% among Scheduled Tribes, 20% among the Other Backward Classes (OBC), and 24% among General category women.
The most alarming increase was reported in Jhabua district, where rape cases rose by 158%, followed by Indore city with a 103% rise, Indore rural with 69%, Bhopal city with 59%, and Ratlam with 46%. In contrast, Jabalpur and Balaghat saw a decline in rape cases by 15% and 33%, respectively. Other districts where rape cases declined include Guna, Ashoknagar, Bhind, Burhanpur, Shajapur, Katni, Shivpuri, Panna, Satna, Anuppur, and Rajgarh.
In response to MLA Upadhyay’s inquiry about rape case convictions, the Home Minister provided details on judicial outcomes over the past five years. Out of 2,739 rape cases involving Scheduled Castes, 23% resulted in convictions, while 77% of the accused were acquitted. Among Scheduled Tribes, 22% were convicted out of 3,163 cases, with 78% being acquitted. For the OBC community, 21% of 3,982 cases led to convictions, while 79% ended in acquittals. Among the General category, 18% of 1,222 cases resulted in convictions, and 82% of the accused were acquitted.
Upadhyay accused the government of underreporting rape cases in official documents. He claimed that the actual number of rape cases involving women in 2023 was 40% higher than reported. Similarly, SC/ST rape cases were 3.5 times higher than the figures published in the annual report.
He further alleged that the Women's Safety Branch had initially reported 5,374 rape cases, while the AJAK (Atrocities Against SC/ST) Branch recorded 883 cases. However, after collecting data from various districts, the actual figures stood at 7,202 for general rape cases and 3,831 for SC/ST-related cases.
Upadhyay criticized the government for downplaying the severity of crimes against women and misrepresenting the true extent of sexual violence in official reports. He demanded immediate action and greater transparency to protect women's safety and ensure justice for the victims.
