Crimes against kids: Cases go up fivefold in eight years

Karnataka has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of crimes against children over the last eight years.

While the state reported 1,353 such cases in 2013, it saw more than a fivefold increase in eight years, with 7,261 cases being reported in 2021.

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) records show that a majority of the cases were related to sexual offences: 2,813 (2,848 victims). Kidnap and abduction cases added up to 2,469 and 2,559 victims respectively.

Senior police officials said the ambit of the law had increased over the years, and hence the numbers were going up. “With the enactment of the POCSO (Protection Of Children From Sexual Offences) Act in 2012, more cases are now being reported. Many categories of crime not reported earlier are being reported now,” said Dr S D Sharanappa, deputy commissioner of police (Crime-1), Bengaluru City.

About 2,563 cases from 2020 are yet to be investigated by the police, taking the total number of cases to be investigated in 2022 to 9,824.

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“Investigation into crimes against children and women are given top priority. We review progress regularly and no delay is accepted unless any reports (such as forensic) are to be obtained,” Sharanappa told DH.

A total of 13,903 cases relating to crimes against children are pending trial at the courts, with 4,673 being sent for trial in 2021.

Officials from the Children Welfare Committee of the Directorate of Child Protection advise parents and guardians to be more cautious.

“Many are busy trying to make ends meet. However, they need to focus on children and be sensitive towards their needs,” said Nagarathna R, chairperson of the CWC.

Threat factors have increased with the advent of technology. “Addiction to gadgets and the Internet has gone up and this could in turn make adolescents vulnerable,” she said.