After Nirbhaya case, over 29,000 arrested for rape and molestation

New Delhi: On December 16, 2012, the nation was shaken up by the news of a dastardly gangrape of the 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus in the national capital. Several mass protests were staged in the city following the incident. After the horrific incident, Delhi Police arrested more than 10,000 people for their involvement in rape from 2013 to November 2017. More than 19,000 accused were arrested in molestation cases.

The Delhi Police data accessed by Millennium Post stated that in the year 2017 (till November), 2174 accused were arrested for rape whereas 3,373 persons were nabbed on the charges of molestation. The year 2016 witnessed 2,155 rape cases and 4,165 molestations in which 2181 accused in rape and 3,929 accused in molestation were arrested by Delhi Police.

In 2015, around 2,079 rape accused were arrested whereas 4,792 persons accused of molestation were nabbed. The year witnessed 2,199 rape cases and 5,367 cases of molestation. In 2014, around 2,166 cases of rape were registered and 2,079 accused of rape were arrested. The year also saw 4,322 molestation cases while 3,662 accused were nabbed. In 2013, around 1,636 rape cases were lodged and 1,811 accused were arrested for rape while 4045 accused of molestations were nabbed and 3,515 cases were registered.

Deputy Commissioner of Police and PRO Madhur Verma stated that the safety of women has remained the top priority of city police. "We have taken several steps to curb crime against women and truthful registration of crime has been the hallmark of Delhi Police," said the PRO. Many new initiatives were taken up by the police for the safety and security of women in Delhi, both in terms of prevention of crime as well detection/investigation of cases.

In the backdrop of the ghastly incident of December 2012 and consequential change in statute, making it mandatory to register FIRs in women related offences, a conscious decision was taken to register FIR in all incidents of crimes, including offences against women. Simultaneously, steps were taken for the suitable training of police officials to encourage women, victims, to report the crimes rather than suffering the plight silently. Thereafter, women started coming forward and an unprecedented increase in the registration of rape and molestation cases was noticed. "Woman complainants were dealt with utmost respect and sympathy. Complaints made by women were recorded verbatim, preferably by a lady police officer and investigated in a professional manner," said a senior police official.