126 rape cases in city since October 2012, accused mostly relative, friend, neighbour or known to victim

Besides the involvement of relatives and persons known to complainants, the data shows an increasing trend of rape complaints.

In the current year, a total of 54 cases have been registered. In three of these cases, the accused was father of the victim, in three others a relative, in 17 cases the accused was a neighbour and in 30 cases he was someone known to the complainant.

In only one case, the accused was unknown to the woman. On October 29, the special court for crime against women acquitted Sadan Singh, a resident of Colony Number 4, after the alleged “eyewitnesses” retracted their statements and the woman was found to be mentally unstable to give any statement in the court. Singh was arrested on February 8, allegedly for raping the woman from Tamil Nadu.

Last year, 45 cases were registered, of which 10 were against a relative, 26 against neighbours and nine against persons otherwise known to the complainant.

In 2012, the police had registered 27 cases of rape. Of these, four were against a blood relative, six against a relative, 16 against neighbours and one against a person known to the complainant.

In order to provide help to complainants in rape cases, the UT Police started a Rape Crisis Intervention Cell in June. Deputy Superintendent of Police for Crime Against Women Kamla Meena said, “We contact every woman who gives a complaint of rape for counselling and any other kind of help required. Many of them visit us on their own.”

Asked about the number of increasing cases of rape, R P Upadhyaya, IG of Chandigarh Police, said this was due to “increasing awareness”.