| Negligible cases registered by Police, conviction rate zero | | Missing children's number registers alarming rise | | Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 18: Durji (36), mother of six, has attempted suicide thrice, in the last two months, as the pain of separation from her only son Bablu (15), has become unbearable for her.
Bablu (15) son of Nand Ram and Durji, a native of Gopalpura Chattarpur, Madhya Pardesh, at present D-block Sainik Colony, had gone for playing on March 3, as usual with his friends, but didn't return home for the last more than two months.
Fearing harassment in the hands of police, Bablu's parents, who are labourers, have pinned their hopes on a soothsayer, who has been assuring Bablu's return within a week but for last two months.
Bablu is not an isolated case which is not reported in any police station but such cases go unreported due to hostile police attitude. Despite that kidnapping of children in Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing sharp increase, during last four years.
On one hand missing children number recorded sharp increase but arrests of alleged kidnappers is negligible, while the conviction rate is nil, according to the details provided by Home department.
441 children were reported as kidnapped/missed across Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2011. The number went further with 461 children kidnapped in 2012 while the year 2013, recorded some decline and 421 children were kidnapped but the year 2014, broke all previous records and 490 children were kidnapped/missing.
Inspector Genral of Police Jammu, Danish Rana said that according to a recent judgment of Supreme Court, police had to lodge kidnapping complaint under section 363, whenever any child beyond 15 years of age, went missing.
He attributed the SC judgment for increase in kidnapping cases.
Out of the missing/kidnapped children, many of them were traced by police but untraced children number is big in size.
In the year 2011, a total of 91 children remained untraced, while in the next year 264 were untraced, and in 2013, a total of 194 remained untraced and the number recorded increase with 255 children remained untraced in year 2014.
To utter surprise, on one hand the number of missing/kidnapping children had recorded increase, according to the details of Home department, but negligible number of cases were registered.
In 2011, only five cases were registered and 11 persons were arrested but the conviction rate was zero. In the year 2012, a total of 23 cases were registered across state and
18 persons were arrested but conviction was zero. In the year 2013, the number of cases registered recorded increase with 26 cases registered against which 40 persons were arrested but the conviction rate was once again zero. The conviction rate for last four years remained zero.
On being asked about negligible number of cases registered, IG, Rana raised finger over data provided by Home department and said that he could only give reply after going through records in his possession. |
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