Crime cases shoot up by 15% in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a 15% spike in overall crimes in the year 2020, compared to the previous two years. There has also been an increase in crimes against women.

Srinagar: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a spike in overall crimes in the year 2020, with crimes against women also seeing an increase. As per the data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the crimes in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a 15% increase in the year, which is higher than the previous two years.

Women activists argue that the rise in violence against women — from domestic to sexual assaults — was due to three subsequent lockdowns and due to the lack of a redressal mechanism in the region.

According to the data, for 2020, around 29,314 criminal cases were registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or under the Special and Local Laws (SLL). These cases are up by 15 per cent than in the year 2019, wherein 25,408 crime cases were registered. The data also shows that the number of criminal cases in 2019 was 6% lower than that in 2018 wherein 27,276 such incidents were registered.

Also, the crimes against women witnessed an 11% increase from 3,069 cases in 2019 to 3,414 in 2020. Nine cases of dowry deaths, 243 rape cases, 349 cases of cruelty against women by their husbands or relatives, 1,639 cases of assault on women and 1,744 cases of assault on women with the intention to outrage their modesty were registered by the police in 2020.

The report also shows that the J&K registered 31 stalking cases, 15 incidents of sexual harassment with three cases of sexual harassment at work in 2020.

NC spokesperson Ifra Jan told ETV Bharat that crimes against women in J&K rose primarily because of the lockdowns imposed after 2019. "The year 2019 saw an unprecedented situation in Jammu and Kashmir during the government-imposed lockdown, which led to job losses that compounded domestic issues of people. Because of the mental agony wrought by job losses and distressing economic conditions, domestic violence against women shot up," Ifra Jan said.

She further added that the government closed down the only Women's Commission in J&K where women would seek redressal of their issues.

Anjali, a university student, said that the COVID-19 lockdown exacerbated the violence against women, adding that the government has not made a well organized legal mechanism in Jammu and Kashmir for women where they can raise their voice against crimes perpetrated against them.

The NCRB data also showed a 25% increase in murder cases with 149 cases registered in 2020 as against 119 in 2019.

The crimes against children also witnessed an increase of around 29% with 606 incidents in 2020 in comparison to 470 and 473 cases each in 2019 and 2018, respectively. There were also 472 incidents of attempts to commit suicide in 2020.

Kashmir Valley is the safest place for tourists: NCRB

Declaring Kashmir Valley as the safest place for tourists in the world, a survey report said that crime against tourists is zero in Kashmir when compared to the rate of crime against tourists in other states of India especially Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai.

According to the NCRB (National Crime Bureau) report, during the last three years from 2018 to 2020, Jammu and Kashmir has not witnessed any incidents of violence, sexual abuse or any other kind with domestic or foreign tourists. In contrast, the report reveals that 22 cases have been registered against foreign tourists for committing various crimes during the last three years.

Tourism officials say the report released by the NCRB is an eye-opener for foreign countries that spread false rumours about Kashmir and prevent its citizens from visiting Kashmir.

He said that this report reflects the fact that Kashmiris have been treating their domestic and foreign tourists well for decades while Kashmir is considered and known all over the world for its hospitality.

But unfortunately in the past, many countries have imposed travel bans on their citizens. This needs to be lifted so that the tourism sector in the Kashmir Valley can be brought on track.