Hyderabad: 90 per cent walk free in crime against kids

HYDERABAD: Telangana state has a low conviction rate for crimes against children, the National Crime Records Bureau data for 2016 reveals. The conviction rate is just 10 per cent. 

Last year, 2,909 cases of crimes against children were registered in the state and 3,242 children were victims. Trials were completed in 815 cases in 2016 in various courts. The court convicted the accused in 88 cases; in the remaining 727 cases, the accused were either discharged or acquitted.  

The crimes included murder, abduction, sexual offences, abetment of suicide, assault etc. There were 161 cases of girls being forced into marriage and 32 cases of forcing them into prostitution. The corresponding figures for Andhra Pradesh were 94 and 17. 

The situation is no better in Hyderabad. The city ranks 11 among the 19 metropolitan cities in the country and contributes 2.1 per cent to the crime rate. Delhi ranks first with 38.7 per cent and Maharashtra contributes 17.8 per cent. 

Hyderabad reported 243 abductions and seven children were murdered in four cases. The conviction rate is poor at just nine per cent. There were 293 fresh cases and 316 old cases that went for trial in 2016. In 89 cases trial was completed and eight persons convicted. In the remaining 81 cases all the accused were acquitted. 

Ms D. Kavitha, ACP, SHE teams, Hyderabad, says that despite victims being assured of protection, they do not come to court during the trial. In some cases, they do out of court settlements and change their residences. “Things are now improving with the police closely coordinating with the judiciary. The trials are being speeded up and gradually the conviction rate will improve,” she said. 

Child rights activist Achyuta Rao of Balala Hakkula Sangham is not so optimistic. He says the police are not aware of procedures involved in dealing with cases of crimes against children.

“Treating the cases on par with general cases is one of the reasons for the low conviction rate. The investigating officer should be sensitive and thoroughly follow up the cases to ensure conviction. But it is not happening,” he says. 

He explained that the families of victims of POCSO (Protection of children from sexual offences) Act cases are entitled to hire their own lawyer at government cost.