Alarming increase in child rape cases in North India

North India has emerged as the country's worst region as far as crimes against children is concerned. States like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have reported a bigger jump in the number of child rape cases as compared to other parts.

According to a source in the Union ministry for woman and child development, a scrutiny of the latest data shows that the number of child rape cases has jumped across the country from 3,542 in 2004 to 5,446 in 2008.

Uttar Pradesh, which recorded the maximum number of rape cases, 900, in 2008, registered the biggest jump of more than 500 cases over the 2004 figure, which was 394.

An analysis of the numbers shows that the biggest jump of 429 cases was reported in Uttar Pradesh in just one year, from 2007 to 2008.

The national capital has seen a rise of 115 cases in the period 2004 to 2008. Delhi reported 186 cases in 2004 and 301 in 2008.

The state of Rajasthan is another case in point with 137 child rape cases reported in 2004 and 420 in 2008.

According to the source, the track record of the western states seems to be better. Gujarat, for example, reported 96 cases in 2004 and 99 in 2008, an increase of just three.

Maharashtra reported 634 cases in 2004 and 690 in 2008. Andhra Pradesh had 363 rape cases in 2004 and 412 in 2008 while Chhattisgarh had 308 cases in 2004 and 411 in 2008.

"Whether the difference is due to the lax law-and-order situation or more data becoming available has to be looked into," a senior official in the Union ministry said.