Bhubaneswar: As many as 1,149 rape cases including rape of 604 minors were registered in the state in the first six months of this year, Minister of State for Home DS Mishra told Assembly Monday.
Replying to a written question in the Assembly, Mishra said 2,502 rape cases were registered in 2018 while 1,149 such heinous crimes were reported during the first six months of 2019. Of the total 2,502 rapes in 2018, a shocking 1,430 cases involved minor girls, Mishra said.
According to the minister’s statement, the highest 91 rapes were reported from Keonjhar district in 2018, the number was 74 in Kalahandi, 67 in Balasore, 61 each in Koraput and Khurda, 60 each in Mayurbhanj and Nayagarh districts.
Similarly, 58 rape cases were registered in Chief Minister’s home district-Ganjam, 54 in Phulbani, 51 in Nabarangpur, 50 in Puri, 42 in Angul and 40 in Sundargarh.
It means on an average, at least six women including three minors are raped in the state each day. However, the rate of conviction in rape cases in the state was 18.35 per cent in 2018. He said of 2,502 rapes, 1,073 were disposed of in 2018. “While 197 cases ended with conviction, accused in 867 cases were acquitted in different courts,” the minister said.
As part of the government’s initiatives to book the culprits involved in minor rape cases, the minister said 24 special courts will be set up to deal with cases registered under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, 2012. While replying to the home department’s demand in the Assembly Friday, the Chief Minister had claimed there was an increase in the rate of conviction in red flag cases in the state. “The rate of conviction in red flag cases was 41.48 per cent under POCSO Act,” Patnaik had said.
The state government in 2014 had introduced the red flag case concept under which minor rape and murder incidents along with other heinous crimes come under this category, a home department official said.