MADURAI: In a stunning revelation by a reply to a Right to Information Act (RTI) query, the City Police and the Madurai Rural Police have registered only 416 cases out of a total of 14,570 complaints on crimes against women and children during the past three years.
The RTI information obtained by Madurai-based advocate R Vignesh from the Madurai Commissioner of Police and Superintendent of Police, Madurai (Rural) shows that while crime against women and children has steadily increased from 2011 to 2014, both police forces seem to have been reluctant to register such crimes. The advocate also sought details on cases such as dowry, harassment, rape, eve teasing and other atrocities against women and children.
The Madurai Commissioner of Police stated that during the three-year period, 5,393 complaints were received by Tallakulam, Town and South all women police stations (AWPS) but only 95 cases were registered.
The reply also said that 3,435 cases were dropped and the rest were referred to the District Social Welfare Officer. Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) said that Tiruparankundram, Melur, Thirumangalam, Samayapuram and Tirumangalam police stations have received 9,177 complaints but registered only 321 cases.
City-based lawyer Anand said that the police were least bothered about a Supreme Court order in the Lalitha Kumari case making first information report (FIR) mandatory for all cases.