ludhiana is fast turning into the rape capital of Punjab, with an average of two rapes being reported every week. The situation is a shade better in the entire State with an average of three rapes daily.
That is not all! On an average, about four women in the State were molested daily, while four others were harassed on the pretext of dowry every day in Punjab.
The latest figures, tabled during the recently-concluded Monsoon Session of the State Assembly, revealed that Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s “safest state” is actually unsafe for the fairer sex of the State.
As per the data, a total of 597 rape cases were reported across Punjab, besides 826 cases of molestation, and 1,054 dowry cases during 2015, till August 31. Apart from this, there are an equal or perhaps more number of cases that go unreported due to several reasons.
The figures, though witnessed a dip from the previous years, sends an alarm bell ringing over the state of affairs in Punjab as far as womenfolk are concerned.
The statistics were more shocking with just about 0.3 per cent conviction rate in the reported rape cases. Out of the total 597 cases, the conviction was done in only 29 cases. Besides, convictions were held in 11 cases out of total 826 molestation cases, and just three out of whooping 1,054 dowry cases.
In the recent past, the State has witnessed a rise in crime against women ranging from gang rapes or rapes to sexual harassment. The figure may be just the tip of an iceberg as numerous other cases were either not highlighted by the media or went unreported for various reasons.
The data reveals that as many as 3,146 rape cases — three every day — have been registered in the past three years from 2012 till August 31 this year. Shockingly, the conviction was held in just 595 cases — at the rate of 0.2 per cent.
During the corresponding period, the State has witnessed a total of 9,102 cases of domestic violence, molestation, and dowry, against conviction in only 188 of them at the rate of 0.02 per cent.
GOVT’s INITIATIVES
In an attempt to curb the crime against women, the State Government had initiated several steps that seem to have proved ineffectual so far.
Right from launching ‘181’ Punjab police helpline to issuing special instructions to the senior police officials to deal with women related matter on priority, the state government is also in the process of constituting Women Armed Special Protection Squads (WASPS) and Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTS) in all districts and Police Commissionerates.
“Directions have been issued to all the Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police to constitute WASPS and SARTS in all districts and Police Commissionerates with specially trained female police personnel and adequate transport with defined areas of operations,” said Sukhbir, in a written reply to a query by Congress MlA Rana Gurjit Singh.
He added that special mobile women squads have also been constituted in districts with the available strength of women police officials “covering the educational institutions and other identified sensitive areas on random basis”.
Only recently, the State Government has also posted five Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), 21 women sub-inspectors, and 467 women police officials after being trained at Punjab Police Academy at Phillaur. Besides, 103 lady sub-inspectors have also been recruited and will be posted after basic training.
“Duly notified women police stations are functioning in at district level in Amritsar, Jalandhar, ludhiana, Patiala and Bathinda to exclusively deal with crime against women. In addition, women cells have also been established under SP’s supervision in all district and police commissionerates,” said Sukhbir.
RECENT CASES
Notwithstanding the State Government’s steps to curb crime against women, the cases were being reported from across the state, almost on daily basis.
last week, a 13-year-old mentally-challenged girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour in Moga district. Few days before, Dehradun-based woman accused a Amritsar-resident for raping her in a local reputed hotel.
On September 4, three gang rapes had stunned Punjab. The rape cases were reported in a single day in ludhiana, Amritsar and in Pathankot.
An 18-year-old girl was strangulated after the crime and her dead body was thrown into a Canal in ludhiana. In Amritsar, a 13-year-old student of a private school was raped by four persons. In Pathankot, a Class-VIII student was gang-raped by her senior students, one from Class-IX and two from Class-X.