THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has become the crime capital of the country as it witnessed a whopping 6.53 lakh police cases in 2017. As per the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the state registered 2.3 lakh cases under IPC in addition to 4.17 lakh cases under different special and local laws. Together, it constitutes 13.1 per cent of the total cases registered in the country.
Uttar Pradesh, which is bigger in size and population compared to Kerala, came second with just over six lakh cases while Maharashtra with 4.6 lakh cases came third, as per the report that is published once in two years.
Though Kerala topped the chart, the number of cases, in fact, has gone down by about 50,000. In the previous NCRB data, Kerala registered a little over seven lakh cases. Though the increase in the number of cases is not a good sign for society, from the police’s perspective, it augurs well for them.
State Police Chief Loknath Behera said the Kerala Police never turn away people from registering cases. “By registering cases we are paving a democratic way of ensuring justice to the aggrieved. We do not turn away people who come with cases. We register all the cognisable cases that come to us. Some may say the state has become the crime capital. But we know we are delivering a service to the people and we are proud of it,” he said.
Apart from the total number of cases, the state also topped in the number of cases of rioting during protests. The pole position was bagged in this section as 1,991 such cases were registered across the state. In rash driving also, Kerala came top with 1,64,174 cases.
In NDPS cases (related to drugs), Kerala propelled itself to the third spot with 9,244 cases only to be surpassed by Maharashtra and Punjab — two states that have been grappling with the menace for long.
Kerala also came top in cases registered under Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. Eighteen such cases were registered in the state in the category. The cases under this Act pertain to serious offences such as insulting the country’s symbols like the national flag, constitution, national anthem and the map.
In case of using children for pornography and storing obscene materials, Kerala came first with 79 cases. In rape cases, Kerala is fifth with 2,035, involving 1,085 children and 950 adults. The silver-lining is 1,575 people were punished for the offence during the said period.
Cause for concern
State recorded most number of cases (18) for insulting national symbols such as the Tricolour and Constitution
79 child pornography cases
2,035 rape cases. Of these 1,085 involved kids and 950 adults. 1,575 persons convicted
109 POCSO cases (section 14 & 15) were registered in Kerala
150 POCSO cases (section 376, 354 and IPC 504) were registered in the state