Rajasthan registers 5,310 rape cases in 2020, highest in the country: NCRB

Jaipur: Rajasthan registered the highest number of rape cases in the country followed by Uttar Pradesh, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2020 data has revealed.

Rajasthan recorded 5,310 rape cases, Uttar Pradesh came second with 2,769, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 2,339 and Maharashtra with 2,061 cases.

However, the desert state has witnessed a decline of around 16% in crime against women, and stands third with 34,535 cases, after Uttar Pradesh with 49,385 and West Bengal with 36,439 cases registered in 2020.

Of the total rape victims, 1,279 are under 18 while 4,031 are adults.

The perpetrator in more than half the rape cases in the state were allegedly family friends, neighbours, employee or other known people.

The state also witnessed an increase in crimes against members of scheduled caste – in 2018, the state recorded 4,607 cases, which rose to 6,794 in 2019 and 7,017 in 2020 with a crime rate of 57.4%.

ADG, Crime, Ravi Prakash Meharda said free registration led to the high number of cases. He said rape cases are on the rise but around 42 % are found to be false allegations after a probe or sometimes, the survivor and the accused arrive at an agreement.

The ADG pointed out that even the NCRB report states that rise in crime and increase in registration of crime by police are two different things.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said the state government has failed in maintaining law and order. The chief minister heads the home department but is busy saving his own chair, he alleged.