Rape cases in the National Capital have registered an increase in the first 45 days of the current year. Delhi has witnessed around four rape cases a day this year as compared to the average of two cases in 2012.
Rape cases have been taking place with alarming regularity despite Delhi Police pulling all stops to prevent sexual crime against women in the aftermath of December 16 gang-rape. National capital registered a total of 181 rapes between January 1 and February 15 of this year, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran stated in the Upper House of the Parliament while replying to a written question.
The Minister said that an analysis of figures shows that Delhi witnessed four rapes a day in the capital during this period while the average for 2012 was around two. Delhi Police Annual Report for 2012 has listed 706 rape cases that were reported. There has been an upward trend in rape cases during last two years. last year also saw a 23.43 per cent increase in the number of rape cases as compared to 2011 when it registered 572 such incidents in the city.
Delhi Police officials said that the surge in number of rape cases could not be directly attributed to the law and order situation as more than 97 per cent of rape accused were known to the victims. last year, in all the rape cases except 26 cases, the accused were known to the victims — 207 were family members and 200 friends. Of the 706 cases last year, police say 93.62 per cent of the cases have been solved.
Only last week, the city witnessed the rape of a seven-year-old girl in a municipal school in north-west Delhi's Mongolpuri area by an unidentified person. Nobody has been arrested in the case. The city had in December witnessed a series of protests after the December16 gang-rape of the 23-year-old paramedical student. She died in a Singapore hospital on December 29.
Government had then initiated several measures to ensure safety of women in the city but there has been no let up in rape cases. The most recent being the rape of a seven-year-old girl inside a primary school building run by North Delhi Municipal Corporation. The rapist is still at large as Outer district police has rounded up scores of people for questioning.