J&K records 2nd highest number of crimes against women among UTs: NCRB

According to the report released by the National Crime Records Bureau on Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 3,716 registered cases of crimes against women including cases under section 498 (Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives) of the IPC and IPC's section 326A (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid), reports ETV Bharat's Muhammad Zulqarnain Zulfi.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir reported over 3700 cases of crime against women in 2022, which is the second highest among UTs after Delhi, the latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in its latest report, reveals that there were a total of 4,45,256 recorded incidents of crime against women in 2022—a 4 percent rise over the 4,28,278 cases that were documented nationwide in 2021.

Delhi had the highest number of crimes against women in 2022 at 14,247 out of the total of 18,823 cases that were registered across the eight Union Territories of the country, the NCRB report said. Ladakh registered the fewest—just 15 cases of crime against women. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 3,716 registered cases of crimes against women, behind Delhi in this regard. The NCRB report released on Sunday stated that 31.4 percent of cases have been registered under the category of Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives, with Kidnapping and Abduction of Women accounting for 19.2 percent of cases. Similarly, 7.1 percent of cases involved rape and 18.7 percent involved assaults on women with the intention of outraging their modesty.

Furthermore, compared to 64.5 percent in 2021, the crime rate per lakh women population in 2022 was 66.4 percent, the report said. According to the NCRB report, Jammu and Kashmir has registered nine cases under section 304B (Dowry Deaths) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) in 2022. Additionally, 42 cases under section 305 (Abetment of suicide of child or insane person) and 306 (Abetment of suicide) of IPC were also registered in the state which was downgraded into Union Territory on August 5, 2019.

Jammu and Kashmir, as per the report, has also registered 500 cases under section 498 (Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives) of the IPC along with two cases under IPC's section 326A (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid). Jammu and Kashmir has not been too far from Delhi in the cases pertaining to kidnapping and abduction of women.

As per the report, in 2022, Jammu and Kashmir has registered a total of 886 cases of kidnaping and abduction under section 363 (Kidnapping) and 364 (Kidnapping/Abduction with intent of murder) of IPC. Delhi has recorded a total of 3917 such cases with 4032 victims. Jammu and Kashmir has also registered 462 cases under section 366 (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc) of IPC.

Alarmingly, out of these 462 cases, 29 girls were minor as per the report. Delhi has just seven, including six minors, such cases registered in 2022. Jammu and Kashmir has two cases of Human Trafficking (Section 370 and 370A of IPC) registered in 2022. According to the report, Jammu and Kashmir has registered 287 cases under section 376 (Rape) of IPC and all the victims are adults.

Besides,11 cases have been registered under section 511 (attempt to commit rape) of IPC while 1606 cases have been registered under section 354 (Assault on Women with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC in Jammu and Kashmir during 2022. "Jammu and Kashmir has registered 17 cases under Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, 27 cases of Information Technology/Cyber Crimes (Women centric) and 303 cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (girl child) have been registered in various police stations during 2022," the report read.