Representative image for sexual assault and rape.
Credit: iStockphoto
Bengaluru: In just two years, the number of Pocso cases in the state have increased by nearly 26 per cent, raising concerns over children’s safety.
According to the data presented in the Legislative Council, in 2022, about 3,209 cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act were recorded, which increased to 4,064 by 2024. In 2025, so far, 2,544 cases have been recorded.
However, though cases are on the rise, nearly one-third of them or even more result in acquittals with the conviction rate remaining low.
For instance, in 2022, out of the 3,209 cases, 1,562 ended up in acquittal and only 186 were convicted while another 1,224 cases remain under trial.
Experts working on child rights opined that an increase in awareness among people may have had an impact on the number of cases.
The low convictions were mostly due to reluctance by parents to pursue cases. “Since children are involved, many parents do not wish to pursue the case for long or reveal identities. Many opt to settle it outside the court and go for a compromise. Hence, the conviction rate could be low,” Nagannagowda, chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, told DH.
“We have formed teams, including counsellors at the district level, who work with victims and their parents, providing them legal support and counselling to help them fight for justice,” he added.
A senior police officer told DH that in a few cases, the accused would have been a family member and owing to pressure from the family, parents tend to back out. “We do try to persuade them but many a time, they change statements and the case ends in acquittal due to lack of evidence,” a senior police officer said.
In a written reply to the Karnataka Legislative Council, Home Minister G Parameshwara said that a number of measures had been taken to prevent such cases and create awareness among the children and society.
Teaching children about “good touch” and “bad touch”; encouraging installation of CCTV cameras at playgrounds, child play homes and parks; and creating awareness regarding the Pocso Act, 2012, among children, parents, and teachers are among the measures initiated.