Where has innocence gone?

On Children8217;s Day, when the entire city celebrated innocence, there were many minors who spent the day in juvenile homes.

Police records show crime by juveniles on a steady rise in the city

2006: A 15-year-old was arrested as one of the accused in the rape and brutal murder of a 71-year-old woman in Sector 15. The news had sent shockwaves across the nation. The minor, lodged in a juvenile home at present, had allegedly committed the ghastly act under the influence of drugs, especially white correction fluid. The sale of this fluid to children has been banned in the city ever since.
February 2007: One of the four people arrested for the murder of a Palsora resident included a minor boy.
March 2008: The Manimajra police arrested five minors in a rioting case. All school dropouts, the teenagers had attacked another group after a tiff.

On Children8217;s Day, when the entire city celebrated innocence, there were many minors who spent the day in juvenile homes. They were all caught on the wrong side of the law in the recent past. The city8217;s crime graph shows a disturbing trend 8212; the number of crimes involving juveniles is on the rise.

This year8217;s data shows culprits in over 68 thefts were juveniles, 14 were involved in rioting, six in injury cases, four in robberies, nine in burglaries, one each in kidnapping and assault. A total of 120 children were arrested in 2008. The number was 118 last year.

From petty thefts to rape, abduction and murder, crime cases involving children are rising with each passing year.nbsp;

A glance at Chandigarh8217;s crime graph reveals that several juveniles are indulging in mobile phone and vehicle thefts, chain snatchings and burglaries to make a quick buck.

According to the police, their sole objective behind taking to crime is to lead a life of luxury 8212; trendy clothes, two-wheelers and dining at good restaurants.

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While various factors have contributed to this, the police mainly attribute the disturbing trend to their living conditions as most of them are from the colonies and slums.

According to statistics, a total of 81 cases involving juveniles have been reported this year under various sections of the IPC. Last year, a total of 68 such cases were registered.

Two minors have also been arrested this year under the Excise Act while one was caught with drugs.

Police officers say a huge number of children in conflict with the law above 60 per cent are illiterate or school dropouts.

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Police statistics also reveal that the age of a majority of the youngsters varies between 12 and 15 years. The maximum cases involving juveniles are reported from Sector 17 and Manimajra.

8220;Most of the arrested juveniles are school dropouts who loitered around throughout the day before taking to crime. Some of them have attended school till Class V while there are many who shunned studies after Class X,8221; says a police officer.

Psychologist Dr Ashok Gupta says: 8220;Besides urbanisation, lack of social controls, both at home and in schools, has been largely responsible for children going astray. Changing lifestyles, crumbling joint families and a market-driven society have rendered our children valueless,8221; he said.nbsp;