Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 17: Though every year International Women’s Day is celebrated with pledge to end violence against women, the crime against fairer sex is continuously on rise in Jammu and Kashmir during the past some years. Be it rape or molestation and eve teasing there has been no let up and given the prevailing situation the Home Department is contemplating to establish women police station in each district of the State.
Like in other parts of the world, International Women’s Day was also celebrated with much hype in different parts of the State on March 8, 2014 with every section of the society, while participating in such celebrations, pledging to play their role in bringing an end to crime against women.
However, the data of last three years available with EXCELSIOR clearly indicates that only pledges and promises are made in this regard and actually there has been increase in incidents of crime against women.
At the beginning of 2011, a total of 116 rape cases were under investigation and during the year 273 more such cases were registered with the police thereby increasing the number to 389. However, only 17 of these cases culminated in conviction of the accused.
Similarly, 225 cases of molestation were under investigation at the beginning of 2011 and during the year there was addition of 1194 cases thereby raising the total number to 1419. However, there was conviction in only 47 cases. A total of 350 fresh eve teasing cases were registered during 2011 and the number increased to 412 as 62 cases were under investigation at the beginning of the year. Against 412 cases there was conviction only in 86 cases.
A total of 121 rape cases were under investigation at the beginning of 2012 and 299 fresh cases were registered during the year thereby raising the total number to 420. Similarly, the number of molestation cases under investigation was 155 but there was addition of 1322 fresh cases thereby increasing the total number to 1477. A total of 347 eve teasing cases were registered in 2012.
According to the data, a total of 376 rape cases were registered in the year 2013 while as 114 cases were already under investigation thereby increasing the total number to 490. The number of molestation and eve teasing cases was 1380 and 354 respectively during 2013.
However, there was decline in dowry related deaths in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2011, eleven dowry related deaths were registered while as in 2012 only 8 such cases were registered and in 2013, seven dowry related deaths were registered.
Shockingly, conviction rate in cases of crime against women remained abysmally low because of varied factors, which include deficient investigation by the police.
Notwithstanding continuous rise in the crime against women, there are only two women police stations—one each at Jammu and Srinagar which are exclusively run by women police officers/staff. Besides, four Women Cells are functioning one each at Anantnag, Baramulla, Udhampur and Rajouri on internal arrangement basis.
“Keeping in view the prevailing scenario vis-à-vis crime against women and to strengthen the field apparatus for dealing crimes against women, the Home Department in consultation with Police Headquarters is contemplating to establish Women Police Stations in each of the districts of the State”, official sources said. They, however, stressed that Home Department and PHQ should expedite the process and ensure that Women Police Stations are established within shortest possible time.
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