Larger numbers of atrocities on STs in Telangana and AP, parliament told

Hyderabad: The two Telugu states are witnessing larger numbers of cases of atrocities on Scheduled Tribes communities, data released by the Centre in Parliament on Monday showed.

The pendency of cases is huge and conviction rate very low in both Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh, said Union tribal welfare minister Arjun Munda.

The minister was replying to the questions raised by MPs in Lok Sabha on the issue of atrocities on STs across the country. The data gathered during the last three years — from 2017 to 2019 — showed that, in Andhra Pradesh, 341 such cases were registered in 2017 and 330 cases each in 2018 and 2019. The corresponding figures for Telangana state were 435, 419 and 530.

While the cases filed were in hundreds in TS and AP each year, the number of persons convicted in these cases was in single digits. Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajashtan witnessed more cases than the two Telugu states.

Out of 341 cases registered in AP in 2017, chargesheets were filed in 196 cases, but the accused were convicted in only two cases. The number of persons arrested was 540, those charge-sheeted were 423 and those convicted were just 3.

In Telangana state, 435 cases were registered in 2017. Of these, 293 cases were charge-sheeted and convictions came in respect of seven cases. The persons arrested were 582, those charge-sheeted in these cases were 399 and those convicted were just 8.

In AP, 330 cases of such atrocities were registered in 2018. Of these, 252 cases saw the accused being charge-sheeted, leading to convictions in 11 cases. Some 589 persons were arrested, 566 persons charge-sheeted and 32 persons convicted.

In TS, 419 cases were registered in 2018. Of these, the cases charge-sheeted were of 298, the cases convicted were six, the persons arrested were 629, those charge-sheeted were 512 and those convicted were just 8.

In AP,  330 cases were registered in 2019. Of these, 193 cases were charge-sheeted, two cases saw convictions, while 511 persons were arrested, 454 persons charge-sheeted and just four persons convicted.

In TS,  530 cases were registered in 2019. Of these, 420 cases were charge-sheeted, convictions came in 31 cases, while the arrests were of 869 persons, charge-sheeting was done on 710 persons and convictions came for 33 persons.

The minister stated: "Police and Public Order are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The state governments/ Union Territory administrations are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of crimes within their jurisdiction including crimes against members of Scheduled Castes(SCs) and Scheduled Tribes(STs), as also for implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights(PCR) Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) {PoA} Act, 1989."

Munda said the Centre has been reviewing the situations with the law implementing agencies of the state governments for ensuring prompt registration of atrocities cases, speedy investigation of the offences and timely dispensing of cases by the courts.