Over 900 rape cases registered since April

New Delhi: In the compliance of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2018, the Delhi Police has registered more than 900 rape cases in 14 districts. The law enforcement agency claimed that the detailed probe in the cases led to 800 cases having been solved and they were able to file charge sheet in 756 cases.

In August, President Ram Nath Kovind had given assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, that provides for stringent punishment, including the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

The amendment replaces the criminal law amendment ordinance promulgated on April 21 after the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and another woman in Unnao.

"This Act may be called the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018. It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 21st day of April 2018," a gazette notification said.

The police data from April 21 to September 22 revealed that 14 districts solved 889 rape cases. In one of the police districts, 93 cases had been registered and during the period, 90 cases were solved whereas more than 80 rape cases were registered separately in four districts.

"Overall, 317 cases were worked out by different police teams of four districts," claimed police data. In about 756 cases, charge-sheets were filed during the period including three districts that filed charge-sheets in 224 cases. According to Delhi Police data, more than 1,400 rape cases have been reported this year till August. In 84.81 per cent of these cases, it was found that the accused persons were acquainted to the victim in some way, claims the data.

Police officials also claimed that the involvement of strangers in cases of rape has declined. The police data, accessed by the Millennium Post, claimed that till August 2018, over 1,400 rape cases were reported and further analysis revealed that in 2.72 per cent of these cases, relatives of the victim were involved. In 2.72 per cent of these cases, the culprit was a stranger.