Rajasthan records 11.01% increase in registration of crime in 2021, women atrocities cases rise by 17.03%

According to the data available with the Rajasthan police, the total number of cases registered in 2021 across police stations in the state was 21,273 more cases than the total cases registered in 2020. While 1,93,279 cases were registered in 2020, the figure increased to 2,14,552 in 2021. This figure was 2,25,306 in 2019.

The data suggests that atrocities against women also saw an increase of 17.03 per cent in 2021 as compared to 2020.

Ever since the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state came into power, the opposition BJP has been vocal about the law and order situation in the state, criticising the government over cases of atrocities against women.

For two consecutive years-2019 and 2020-, Rajasthan registered the highest number of rape and attempt to rape cases, as per data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The Rajasthan government has maintained that the increase in crime figures is due to the state’s policy of mandatory registration of FIR whenever a complaint is received.

According to latest data available with the Rajasthan police, rape cases registered in the state during 2021 was more than both the figures pertaining to 2020 and 2019. While 2019 saw 5,997 cases of rape, the figure was 5,310 in 2020. The total number or rape cases registered in 2021 increased to 6,337 cases, reflecting a 19.34 per cent increase in rape cases as compared to 2020 figure.

The data shows that in 2021, apart from cases of dowry death, which saw a decrease of 5.64 per cent, all other categories of crime against women saw an increase when compared to 2020. The highest increase was recorded in the category of abduction of women cases, which saw a 25.85 per cent increase in 2021 as compared to 2020.

The data further indicates that when compared to 2020, there was a 7.23 per cent increase in cases of atrocities against scheduled castes and 12.94 per cent increase in cases of atrocities against scheduled tribes in 2021.

In the past 10 years, 76 cases have been registered wherein Dalit grooms have not been let to ride a mare. Of these cases, chargesheets have been filed in 62 cases, in 10 cases a final report has been submitted while 4 cases remain pending. At present, 15 accused are yet to be arrested, shows the data.

DGP Lathar said that in 2020, among bigger states, Rajasthan had the second lowest pendency rate in cases of crimes against women. He said that while the average investigating period in rape cases was 241 days in 2018, it has come down to 86 days in 2021.

The DGP also expressed his concern over the increasing number of honeytrap and extortion cases, wherein the criminals operating from the Mewat region in Rajasthan including the districts of Alwar and Bharatpur often target people from other states.

“Two years ago, what was Jamtara in Jharkhand (in terms of cyber crime cases) has shifted to Mewat. In these cases, mostly people living in southern states are targeted. The modus operandi is very simple. They scan the Facebook accounts of people and look for weaknesses. Later, they blackmail these people saying that they will post indecent content to defame the persons and thus blackmail them,” said DGP Lathar.

He added that the state police force is cooperating with the police of southern states such as Telangana to control this menace of honeytrapping and blackmail, run from the districts in eastern Rajasthan.