UDUPI: There’s still a long way to go for the state when it comes to combatting sexual offences against minors. As per official data, 1,104 cases were registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act across Karnataka in just three months -- April, May and June. Between January and July this year, the total number of cases stood at 2,544, raising concern over sexual assaults against children under the age of 18.
The data was presented by Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara during the ongoing Monsoon session on Tuesday.
As per details given by the home minister, Bengaluru city reported the highest number of POCSO cases between January and July this year, with 319 cases, followed by Shivamogga (131), Tumakuru (114), Chikkaballapur (113), Belagavi (100), Chitradurga (100) and Mysuru (99). Udupi district recorded 30 such cases.
The data shows that Karnataka registered 3,902 POCSO cases in 2023 and 4,064 in 2024. As of July this year, 2,544 cases have been registered, of which judgments have been delivered in 1,927 cases. The remaining 1,556 cases remain under investigation. In 2023, judgments were pronounced in 3,882 of the 3,902 cases, with convictions in 126. In 2024, courts gave judgments in 4,026 of the 4,064 cases registered, with convictions in 36 cases.
Dr Vasudeva Sharma N V, Executive Director, Child Rights Trust, said the rise in POCSO cases indicates a greater understanding of the issue and increased reporting to police. “This can be attributed to the juvenile justice system and police actively supporting victims to file cases.
The statistics also suggest perpetrators are not deterred by existing laws due to very few punishments, he said. Some cases drag on in courts for years . Such delays dampen the morale of the victims and their families. There is a need to expedite hearings and public prosecutors should insist on disposing of cases within one year as per the Act,” he urged.