BENGALURU: According to data that reflects figures over the last three years, majority of rape cases filed in Bengaluru City Police limits falls under the category of people tricking their partners into physical relationships by promising marriage. Out of the 329 rape cases reported in Bengaluru between January 2016 and November 2018, as many as 194 cases — 59 per cent — were under this category.
The second category was rape by neighbours or known persons, under which 95 cases were reported in the span of 35 months. B S Mohan Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Branch (CCB) (Women and Narcotics squad), said many cases were filed against individuals who cheated on their partners after having a physical relationship with them. He told City Express, “The male partner would promise the woman he would marry her in the near future and engage in a physical relationship, which might not be consensual. These cases are considered cheating cases and are also classified under rape.”
These cases were among the 7,032 cases of crimes against women reported during the period.
Molestation and cases under the Dowry Prohibition Act were the most common crimes against women. While a total of 2,501 molestation cases were filed, 2,094 cases were filed under the Dowry Prohibition Act. Cases under these heads comprised two-thirds the complaints of reported crimes against women. Cruelty by husband or by in-laws were also among the commonly reported cases in the city.
The period also witnessed 149 cases of dowry deaths in Bengaluru.
Crimes against children, filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, also constituted a majority of the complaints. Of the 1,385 cases, 1,087 cases — 78.5 per cent — were under POCSO.
More than half of the above cases — 557 — were registered under section 3 and 4 of POCSO, i.e. for penetrative sexual assault.As many as 11 cases under the Child Marriage Restraint Act have also been filed in the city during the period.
Sources said most of the cases related to sexual assault on women or children were detected by the police and almost all the accused in the said cases were arrested. According to Kumar, the percentage of arrests made in molestation cases, however, were relatively less, as many of the accused were unknown individuals.