Telangana ranks 16 in country in kidnap, abduction cases: NCRB data
HYDERABAD: AS many as 2,312 persons stand as victims of kidnap and abduction in the state. The latest figures, revealed in the National Crime Records Bureau report for 2016, also include 986 persons who were kidnapped and abducted in 2015 and “not recovered”. What is alarming is the share of females in these figures. Of the total 2312 persons who stand “kidnapped and abducted”, as many as 1,697 are females. A look at the figures for those “abducted in 2015 but are yet to be recovered”, as many as 649 of the 986 persons are females.
In this regard, under the head victims of kidnap and abduction, Telangana is ranked number 16 in the country. The national figures which classify the purpose behind kidnap and abduction cases rate “marriage’ and “illicit intercourse” as the two major factors that lead to the offence. On the other hand, Telangana is ranked number 4 in terms of human traficking cases.
The figures for kidnap and abduction in State has been on a rise. In the year 2016, a total of 397 males and 834 females(taking the total of victims to 1231) have also been “recovered” alive, reveals data.
Moving to the age group of victims, the data shows that as many as 500 of the victims of kidnap and abduction for the year 2016 were females in the age group of 12 and 18.
On the other hand, in the same age group during the same period, around 63 males were kidnapped or abducted. Similarly, 112 of the 149 children below 6 years of age kidnapped or abducted during the same period were females. Between 6 and 12 years of age, 26 of the 47 children kidnapped or abducted were girls. That takes the total child victims(cases booked under sections 363 to 369 of Indian Penal Code) to 759. A break up of the same reveals as many as 638 of them were females.
Opining that statistics may be misleading, Saumya Mishra, Inspector General of Police, Crime Investigation Department(CID) said that most of the kidnap/abduction cases have to be seen as ‘elopment cases’ as filed by parents in most cases.
According to her, rising number of females in the list of victims of kidnap/abduction is a national trend.
She said every missing person case cannot be treated as kidnap/abduction though some of the case may include child labour, organ trade and human trafficking. She also pointed out that nearly 20,000 children have been traced and rescued in the State during operation Muskaan.