GUWAHATI: The northeast, comprising seven states, was once a safe place for women. But that no longer holds true. An increasing number of crimes against women, especially rape, dowry deaths and other kinds of sexual harassment, are being reported from different states in the region.
The mob molestation of a 20-year-old girl in Assam’s capital, Guwahati, also the commercial hub of the northeast, in July this year, shook the state and put it to national shame, bringing to light the extent of crimes against women in the region. The latest statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) corroborate the fact that crime against women has risen sharply in the northeast, with Tripura recording the highest rate – 37 per cent against the national crime rate of 18.9 per cent – in 2011. Assam stood second highest in the country with a crime rate of 36.9 per cent.
Nagaland had the lowest rate of crime against women in the region – 1.9 per cent. The NCRB registered only 38 cases of crime against women in 2011 in Nagaland. Of the 2,28,650 incidents of crimes against women in the country, according to the NCRB, Assam registered 11, 503 incidents.
Assam Police statistics reveal that last year 5,745 cases of cruelty by husband and their relatives on women and 2,011 cases of rape were registered.
Assam State Women Commission (ASWC) chairperson Meera Barooah said that crime against women has always been there in the state, but because of higher awareness, more women are reporting the atrocities now.
The situation is rather grim in Tripura, which earned the notoriety of recording the highest crime rate against women last year.
Chief minister Manik Sarkar expressed concern over the ugly trend, assuring that the government will consider a fast-track court to dispense such cases. In terms of conviction of the accused, Tripura is far below the national average of 40.7 per cent, at only 11.1 per cent.
Ironically, Manipur, where a large number of women organizations and civil society groups are very proactive, is also going seeing rise in crime against women. According to a report prepared by an NGO, the Women Action for Development (Wad) said 251 cases of violence against women took place in the state between January and October 2012, which included 21 rape cases, four rape-cum-murders, 16 murders, seven molestations, one immolation, 41 brutal physical assaults, four abductions, two intimidations, 56 missing cases, three abandonment cases and 78 trafficking cases.
Wad secretary Sobita Mangshtabam said, “After October, six new cases, including murder and hanging, have also come out.”
The latest incident of crime against women in the state was the molestation and assault of a Manipuri film actress by an alleged NSCN (IM) cadre last Tuesday night during a music concert at Chandel district of the state.
Aizawl, the picturesque capital of Mizoram, too is becoming increasingly unsafe for women. Mizoram Police said 90 cases of rape were registered at four police stations within Aizawl alone in the last three years. This is a worrying trend for a predominantly tribal state where women are held in high regard. Aizawl superintendent of police (crime) Joseph Lalchhuana said while 30 and 25 rape cases were registered in 2010 and 2011 respectively, it increased to 35 till November 2012.
Crime against women in Arunachal Pradesh, another tribal state, is also on the rise with the law-enforcing agencies failing to curb the menace. According to the state government, 190 cases of atrocities against women were reported in the state in 2010, which, however, came down slightly to 171 in 2011. Till September 2012, the number increased as 122 cases were registered. (Agencies)