Guwahati, Jan 17: Crimes against women and children in Assam dropped drastically in the year 2022 owing to tough measures adopted by the state police force.
From as many as 29,046 cases in 2021, the crime rate against women dipped to 12,034 cases in 2022. The drop is significant when compared to an annual average of 27,240 cases during the period 2017- 2021.
“The crime rate against women dropped drastically owing to the setting up of special cells for women in collaboration with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, coordinated approach by all stakeholders such as Assam Police, social welfare department, NGOs, labour department, health and education department. Besides, capacity building and sensitisation programmes have also been organised for the state police personnel,” superintendent, CID, Assam here informed.
Moreover, crimes against children have come down to 4,306 as against 5,282 in the previous year. The number of human trafficking cases has also come down to 96 cases as against 203 in the previous year.
“This has happened due to the setting up of anti-human trafficking units in each district, creation of a post of superintendent of police (anti-human trafficking) at the CID headquarters and provision of infrastructure to all the anti-human trafficking units under the Nirbhaya Fund,” the SP stated.
Assam’s crime rate in general and case pendency have drastically come down by the end of the year 2022 as against that of the previous year.
“The crime rate, which was at an average of 366 cases per lakh population, has now come down to 200 cases per lakh population, owing to various steps taken by the state’s police force such as cracking down on crime syndicates, keeping close watch on repeat offenders and increased visibility and identification of hotspots,”,” the police official informed.
Case pendency too has also significantly come down to 58,908 cases at the end of 2022 as against 95,994 cases at the end of 2021 and more than a lakh cases at the end of 2020.
“This will improve the investigation officer-to-case ratio and thereby enhance the quality of investigation and supervision. Further, the number of cases per investigation officer on an average has come down to 25 cases as against 52 cases at the end of 2021,” the SP, CID (Assam) informed.
Moreover, crimes reported in the state too have come down owing to strict policing measures.
“These actions have resulted in crime prevention and the number of cases reported have come down to 69,439 at the end of 2022 as against 1, 33,239 at the end of 2021. Further, the charge-sheet percentage has also gone up to 48 percent in the year 2022 as against 39 percent in the previous year,” the police official informed.
Cyber crimes
Cyber crimes reported in the state have also come down to 1,781 cases as against 4,846 cases in the year 2021.
“This reduction is due to prompt action on the cyber fraudsters, de-activating of SIMs and Whatsapp accounts involved in cyber frauds, round-the-clock monitoring of the social media platforms for unlawful posts and those against women and children. Further, 1930, a 24×7 cyber fraud call centre was also successful in tracing and freezing Rs 6.41 crore cyber fraud amounts pertaining to 2,177 cases with a success rate of more than 18 percent,” the SP, CID informed.
“Use of technology and forensics by Assam Police is now the focus area and lots of steps are being taken to use scientific technology/aid in investigation and to set up new regional and mobile forensic science laboratories in various parts of the state along with the upgrade of the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Guwahati,” the SP, CID said.
“Assam Police is following a two-pronged strategy of people-friendly policing on the one hand and a no-nonsense approach towards criminals on the other,” the official added.
The number of murder cases have also come down compared to the previous year. Crimes against property have drastically come down from 29,113 in 2021 to 14,381 in 2022. Similarly, dacoity cases reported have also come down to 85 cases in 2022 as against 188 in 2021. “This is due to police keeping track of known criminals, history sheeters and habitual offenders,” the official said.
“All-out efforts against organised crimes and crime syndicates by Assam Police are continuing and a total of 2,878 cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the year 2022 as against 455 cases in 2018, 828 cases in the year 2019, 980 cases in 2020 and 2,271 cases in 2021,” the SP said.