Monday Musing
[ M Doley ]
Papum Pare [city] is becoming the most unsafe place in the state with the highest number of crimes recorded in the city during 2022.
A total of 1,019 cases of various natures, including rape, murder, theft, robbery, kidnapping, riot, etc, were reported in various police stations in Papum Pare [city] from 1 January, 2021 to 31 December, 2022. On the contrary, only 206 cases, in total, had been recorded in the preceding year, Arunachal Pradesh Police [APP] data said.
Crimes against women in the city increased drastically during that period. It has shot up from only three cases in 2021 to a staggering 99 in 2022, which is a matter of grave concern.
A total of 2,746 [3,024 in 2021] cases of various natures were recorded across the state last year, out of which crimes against women stood at 155.
Likewise, the police have recorded 26 [seven in 2021] cases of kidnapping, 35 [seven in 2021] cases of rape, and one murder case in Papum Pare [city]. It recorded 451 cases of theft/burglary, 27 of robbery, 15 of forgery, six of extortion, five cases of assault on public servants, nine cases of fatal accidents, and 60 cases under the NDPS Act during that year in Papum Pare [city].
The figures reflect the deteriorating law and order situation in the capital region.
In 2022, Dibang Valley replaced Tawang as the most peaceful district, with only 11 cases recorded. Barring a few petty cases, no case of a serious nature, like rape, murder, kidnapping, robbery, crime against women, etc, had been reported in Dibang Valley during that year. In 2021, Tawang had reported the lowest number of 11 cases.
In India, most of the cases of crimes against women go unreported due to various reasons. As per the latest National Family Health Survey report, only 14 percent of women who have experienced physical or sexual violence have reported the crimes or sought help to stop the crimes.
The rape victims suffer not only social stigmatisation but are pressured to withdraw their cases by the perpetrators. Another reason for not reporting cases is the long arduous trial process, which adds trauma to the victims’ life. It takes many years before resolving anything, while new cases supersede the old ones.
According to the National Judicial Data Grid [NJDG], a total of 4.40 crore cases are still pending in various courts across the country, where the number criminal cases of more than one-year-old stood at 2,19,34,314 [66.5 percent].
The figures of pending cases in Arunachal Pradesh, barring Papum Pare [rural] and Papum Pare [city], Lohit and West Kameng were not available in the NJDG.
Domestic abuse or cruelty by husband and relatives was the highest reported crime against women in the country in 2021.
The survey further revealed that one-fourth of every married women aged 18-49 years have experienced spousal physical or sexual violence, out of which seven percent have had eye injuries, sprains, dislocations, or burns, and six percent have had deep wounds, broken bones, broken teeth, and other serious injuries.
The high and increasing rate of crimes in the capital region might have prompted the government to establish the Itanagar range police to ensure safety and security of the people.
Further, the Arunachal Pradesh Police recently launched the ArunPol mobile app, through which the citizens can report, among other things, complaints related to women and children. The application also provides helpline numbers and ensures anonymity for individuals lodging complaints or providing information, allowing them to maintain their privacy.
It is to be hoped that the police will act tough against the perpetrators of such crimes and ensure safety and security of the people. Besides the police, human rights organisations, NGOs and organisations associated with women and children’s rights have a greater role to play in reducing the crime rate.
