Over 1,200 cases of crime against women in Delhi

The city police say there were a total of 1,240 cases of crime against women -- which include murder, molestation, eve-teasing and rape -- registering a 12 per cent decline this year so far compared to the first 11 months last year.

According to Delhi Police statistics, there were 414 rapes, 222 eve-teasing and 492 molestation cases and 112 cases of murder of women reported in the city this year as against last year's total of 1,402 crime against women.

Only murders of women have registered a slight increase while other heads have shown a decline. While 108 women were murdered last year, the number rose to 112 this year till November.

Out of the 414 rape cases in the city this year, 57 were gangrapes while the figure for rape committed by a single person was 357. Last year, the total was 440 with rape committed by a single man accounting for 380 and gangrapes 60.

Molestation cases have shown a decrease of 64 cases this year as against last year's 558 while eve-teasing cases have declined to 222 from 2008's figure of 296, a senior police official said.

The official said the city police have taken a series of measures to prevent crime against women, which includes an anti-obscene call cell where women can complain about receiving objectionable calls or text messages.

The cell has received over 12,000 calls since it was set up in December 20, 2008. The cell was set up after it came to notice that some undesirable individuals were harassing women, including housewives, by sending obscene or lewd or provocative text messages and calls.

Women can complain about such calls on a toll-free helpline 1096 or call 011-27894455. They can SMS the complaint to 0-9911135446, fax to 011-27292523 or email to [e-mail].