Over 6.5 lakh calls received on SC/ST atrocities helpline since 2021; highest from Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: Over 6.5 lakh calls have been received by the National Helpline Against Atrocities (NHAA) regarding the atrocities against SCs and STs since the launch of the helpline in December 2021, with nearly half of the total calls originating from Uttar Pradesh, official data showed.

Of the calls, 7,135 grievances have been officially registered, and 4,314 have been resolved.

The helpline, aimed at empowering members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), is operational round the clock in Hindi, English and regional languages to ensure proper implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

These complaints range from incidents of assault, social boycotts, caste-based abuse, land grabbing and denial of access to public spaces to allegations of police inaction in atrocity cases.

"Many of the calls received on the helpline are related to inquiries, requests for legal guidance or reports lacking sufficient details to be registered formally as grievances. Only those calls that pertain to specific incidents of atrocities under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and meet the criteria for legal action are converted into official grievances," a senior official said.

Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for 3,33,516 calls, of which 1,825 were formally registered as grievances and 1,515 have been resolved, according to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Bihar followed with 58,112 calls, with 718 grievances registered and 707 resolved. Rajasthan reported 38,570 calls and 750 complaints, with 506 redressed.

In Maharashtra, 268 complaints were registered but with zero resolution, while Goa saw only one grievance and no resolution.

Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Haryana and Karnataka also saw significant call volumes with varying levels of grievance registration and redress. Madhya Pradesh, for instance, had 1,630 registered grievances, but only 282 were resolved.

In contrast, Haryana showed a high resolution rate, resolving 379 of the 392 complaints it received.

Launched by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar in 2021, the helpline is part of the government's effort to curb caste-based atrocities and ensure timely justice.

The NHAA also operates as a web-based portal and mobile app. It provides features like grievance tracking, feedback, and a dashboard for state-level performance. Every complaint is assigned a docket number, and officials are mandated to follow up for FIR registration, relief provision and timely prosecution as per legal timelines.

The system is also designed to send automated reminders and compliance alerts to authorities to ensure accountability, and it aims to generate awareness about legal rights under both the SC/ST Act and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.