GUWAHATI, July 30 � In a disturbing trend, nearly 500 cases of rape of minor girls were registered across the State in the last three years.
Significantly, figures compiled by the Assam Police reveal that the frequency of such cases has been recording a sharp increase over the years.
While the year 2011 registered 40 cases of rape of minor girls, the figure rose to 230 in 2013, registering an increase of over 500 per cent. A total of 156 cases were registered in 2012, the Assam Police records say.
Moreover, poor conviction rate continues to provide enough ground to mock at the way such cases are dealt with by the investigators.
Against hundreds of cases registered every year, the rate of conviction remains abysmally low. In the year 2013, while 230 cases of rape of minors were registered, only four convictions were recorded during the year.
Experts working for child rights feel that the figures do not give the real picture as most of the cases of sexual offences remain unreported.
They also say that a recent report had said that most of the sexual offences are committed by those who are known to the victims.
The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in the year 2013 too had registered 33 cases of sexual abuse of children with all the cases pending judgment. Most of these cases are taken up suo- moto by the Commission.
