Crime against children: Over 250 cases registered, more than 190 held in 2019

NEW DELHI: Children's Day is celebrated on November 14 with a hope that every kid across the country remains safe. But the reality seems to be very harsh as the recent data of Delhi Police shows that more than 250 cases were registered and over 190 people were arrested in connection with crimes against children in 2019.

The data accessed by Millennium Post revealed that till October, as many as 162 cases were registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Of these, 137 cases were solved in which 140 people were arrested.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said that they are taking proper steps for the safety of children in the city.

Sources said that Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik regularly reviews the status of POCSO cases registered in the districts and units. They added that in several crime review meetings, the top cop has directed senior officers to prioritise the disposal of rape and POCSO cases.

Yashwant Jain, a member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said, "We are making sure that the incidents of POCSO must be reported to the police. We have conducted several meetings in this regard with various government officials and are also stressing that the victims get proper and timely compensation."

He further added that there should be awareness about the POCSO Act across the country.

Last year, data published by the Delhi Commission for

Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) had revealed that 42 percent of the accused in POCSO cases turned out to be neighbours of the victims or someone personally known to them. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police data revealed that as many as 109 cases under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act were registered this year so far. Police have solved 51 of these cases and arrested 56 people.

Roop Sudesh Vimal, a DCPCR official said the main reason behind child labour is extreme poverty, which forces parents to employ their children for some extra money.

"In most of the cases, we have found that children from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh are trafficked to the city and placed either as maids or as workers in factories," he said. He added that the children work under hazardous condition inside these factories and in most cases, it was found that the traffickers were known to the children.

As many as 162 cases were registered till October under POCSO Act