Many Stalkers, Few Convicts

In the early hours of August 5, in Chandigarh, two drunk young men tailed a woman with the apparent intent to kidnap and rape. The woman, Varnika Kundu, evaded her stalkers and called the police. One of the accused, 23-year-old Vikas, is the son of Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala. Fortunately for Kundu, she is the daughter of an IAS officer. Media attention might mitigate political pressure in this case, but by and large victims have little recourse—as national figures recently released by the Ministry of Home Affairs prove.

18,097

CASES OF STALKING WERE REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 354D OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE FROM 2014-2016

1,216

CONVICTIONS WERE SECURED, THOUGH 13,673 CHARGE SHEETS WERE FILED AGAINST THE ACCUSED AND 20,753 ARRESTS MADE IN THOSE CASES

5.3%

CONVICTION RATE FOR STALKING IN 2016, OR 379 OUT OF 7,132 REGISTERED CASES

157%

RISE IN STALKING IN TELANGANA FROM 2014 TO 2016, COMPARED WITH A 42% DROP IN UTTAR PRADESH SINCE 2014

13.8%

INCREASE IN STALKING INCIDENTS IN 2016 OVER 2015; 33.3% INCREASE IN 2015 OVER PREVIOUS YEAR

23.2%

RISE IN ARRESTS IN 2016 OVER 2015; 28.6% RISE IN ARRESTS IN 2015 OVER PREVIOUS YEAR

3,783

STALKING CASES REPORTED IN MAHARASHTRA—THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY—BETWEEN 2014 AND 2016