‘In 2018, 19 girls kidnapped every day in UP’

LUCKNOW: : On an average as many as 19 girls were kidnapped or abducted every day in Uttar Pradesh in 2018. This has been revealed in the latest National Crime Record Bureau’s (NCRB) report “Crime in India-2018” released recently.

According to the report, Uttar Pradesh registered second highest number of cases of kidnapping and abduction of children among all states in the year. A total of 8,721 victims were recorded under the category of kidnapping and abduction where 80.67% victims were girls.

Further in-depth analysis by an NGO, Child Rights and You (CRY) revealed that 30% rise in girl child victims of kidnapping and abduction of minor girls was recorded in last five years (between 2014 and 2018). The NCRB data states that the number of girl child victims increased from 5,415 in 2014 to 7,036 in 2018.

The data also revealed that teenage girls were prone to kidnapping and abduction in UP.

In all, 89% victims of kidnapping and abduction of girls were reported in age group 12-16 years and 16-18 years. This percentage is 92% at national level. The NCRB 2018 data suggests total 1,988 victims were of age group 12-16 years and 4,251 cases were of age group 16-18 years in UP.

Analysing the data, regional director, CRY North, Soha Moitra said “This is alarming that 89% of minor girls who were kidnapped or abducted in 2018 in UP were of age group 12 to 18 years. Usually, there is a generic response towards such trends that girls of this age group elope. This is high time we should break this narrative as these girls might be pushed into child labour, domestic trade and even sex trade.”

POCSO CASES ON RISE

Another important fact revealed in the NCRB data was rise of 10.3% in cases reported under POCSO Act in the same period. In 2017, the number of cases registered under POCSO Act in UP was 4,895 which increased to 5,401 in 2018. UP reported 2nd highest cases registered under POCSO

Act. Maharashtra topped the list with highest 6233 cases.

CASES OF MINOR RAPES ALSO ON HIGH

Uttar Pradesh registered second highest number of cases of minor rapes (Sec 376 IPC Excluding Rapes under Sec 4&6 of POCSO Act). In all 1353 cases of minor rapes were recorded in UP in 2018.

Expressing her concern over the present scenario of girl child in Uttar Pradesh on the eve of National Girl Child Day, Moitra said whether it was about safety, health, education or nutrition, girls were vulnerable at every stage. While some major efforts have been taken to ensure child protection by the govt.”