Conviction rate comes down for crimes against women – RTI reply
28 Nov, 2013
A report released by the NGO Praja Foundation has shown that convictions rate in crimes against women in Mumbai dropped sharply in the year 2012 as compared to 2011.
The report based on statistics obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, states that in cases of molestation, the conviction rate was 21% in 2011 which fell to merely 7% in 2012. In case of body offences including murder, rape and kidnapping, the conviction rate declined from 10% in 2011 to 7% in 2012. Only a marginal increase of 2% was noted in cases of dowry deaths. The report also showed that the instances of crimes against women have increased with respect to the previous year. Rape cases have grown by 57 per cent while cases of molestation have increased by 43 per cent.
Though the Assistant Commissioner of Police attributed the fall in conviction rate to the witnesses backing out and compromise between the parties, the activists claim that the fall has been caused by acute shortage of investigating staff. The report also showed that there has been 50 per cent shortfall in the sanctioned strength and actual working strength of investigating officers in the Mumbai police.