GUWAHATI, Dec 19 - The number of crimes committed by juveniles in Assam under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Special and Local Laws (SLL) has gone down.
As per latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 436 cases were registered against juveniles under different crime heads of IPC and SLL during 2016 in Assam.
This is a decrease from the 2015 figures when a total of 624 crimes committed by juveniles were registered in the State.
Of the total such cases last year, 403 were under IPC.
They included 25 cases related to murder, two with attempt to commit murder, 27 of causing grievous hurt, one for causing injuries under rash driving or road rage, nine with rioting, 12 with assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty, 36 with kidnapping and abduction, five involving human trafficking, 23 with rape, two with attempt to commit rape, 168 with theft, 47 with criminal trespass or burglary, 11 with robbery, three with dacoity, 18 with extortion, one with forgery, while 13 were cases of other cognizable IPC crimes.
Another 33 cases were registered against juveniles under different heads of SLL in 2016.
Among them, two were under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, seven were under Arms Act, one under Gambling Act, four under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, one under Information Technology Act, two under Explosives and Explosive Substances Act, and 16 were other SLL crimes.
Nationwide, a total of 35,849 crimes were committed by juveniles in 2016, as against 33,433 in the previous year.
Most of the juveniles apprehended under various sections of the IPC and the SLL in the State were either illiterates or had only primary education. As per the NCRB data, a total of 480 juveniles were apprehended under various cases across Assam during 2016.
A classification of such juveniles shows that as many as 70 were illiterate, while 216 had primary education and another 182 were in the category of above primary but below Matric or Higher Secondary status. Only 12 such juveniles had educational qualification of Matric or Higher Secondary or above. As for family background, 337 were living with parents, 125 were living with guardians and 18 were homeless.
With regard to recidivism, 473 juveniles were apprehended for the first time, while seven others had been convicted in the past.
