The Crime in India manual for 2005 compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has reinforced Delhi’s image as a metro unsafe for women. The Capital has the highest rate of crime against women, 27.6 per lakh population, which is twice the national average of 14.2.
The Capital also fares the worst in a comparison of rates of crimes against women in 35 mega cities in the country (those with population of 10 lakh and above). A whopping one-third of rape cases takes place in Delhi alone — 562 cases out of a total of 1,693.
As far as kidnapping and abductions of women are concerned, 900 cases out of a total of 2,409, about 37.4 per cent occurs in the Capital alone.
None of the other 35 cities came anywhere close to Delhi regarding molestation cases . While Delhi reported 654 incidents, Mumbai, the next on the list, recorded 385 cases.
As far as dowry deaths are concerned the picture is bleaker. Delhi accounted for 94 of the 492, about 19 per cent, the highest for any metro city. It is only when considering sexual harassment, that Delhi with 197 cases, comes second any city — Kanpur (227 cases).
Said National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Director, S Awasthi, “While the overall crime rate across the country has gone down, from 168.8 in 2004 to 165.3 in 2005, as far as crime against women is concerned, there has been no such trend. Delhi seems to show an alarming trend of recording one-third of the rape cases across all mega- cities in the country.”
Asked if the high figures could have been due to greater alertness on the part of authorities, he said the prevalence of crimes against women in a certain place depends on a large extent to the social ambience of that place.
The picture is no better when considering crime against children. Delhi has the highest crime rate of 6.5 in contrast to a national average of 1.4. For kidnapping and abduction of children below 15 years of age, Delhi reported the highest figures in the country, 18.9 per cent.
The trend is also reflected in the overall crime rates of the capital. While the all-India average of IPC crimes is 165.3, Delhi recorded a figure of 356.1.
Additional Commissioner of Police Deependra Pathak, the official spokesperson of the Delhi Police, dismissed suggestions that these figures reflect the inability of the force to protect women in the city.
“It is a much more complex role of crime and society that comes into play. We have made an all-out effort and even roped in NGOs in creating awareness about these crimes, so that even the most minor cases get reported. Statistics do not reveal the whole picture,” he claimed.
Crime Manual 2005
How Delhi rates in NCRB’s comparison of crimes against women in 35 cities with a population of 10 lakh and above
Rape
562 cases
33.2% Percentage of such crime in 35 cities
Kidnapping and Abduction
900 cases
37.4% Percentage of such crime in 35 cities
Dowry deaths
94 cases
19.1% Percentage of such crime in 35 cities
Molestation
654 cases
23.1% Percentage of such crime in 35 cities
Sexual Harassment
197 Total cases
8.4% Percentage of such crime in 35 cities