The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sent a stinker to West Bengal government pointing towards a steep rise in crime against women in the state in recent months.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sent a stinker to West Bengal government pointing towards a steep rise in crime against women in the state in recent months.
The NCW had constituted an inquiry committee to look into the recent incidents of crime against women in the state. A three-member committee which visited West Bengal during first week of April, also met the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, observed that incidents of such crimes coupled with a set of unpreparedness among the officers at the level of public contact may actually make the crime a nearly risk-free business for criminals.
The Commission expressed unhappiness over transfer of two key officers - Damyanti Sen, DCP, Kolkata and Pranab Kumar, SP, Bankura - who were transferred before the investigation could be completed in the Park Street gang rape case and the Bankura case of sexual assault on a deaf and mute girl.
It also recommended review of the convention presently adopted by the Comissionerate of Police, Kolkata, which requires an order of a Court before a victim of rape is subjected to a medical examination. The Commission pointed out that this convention is not present in other police organisations including the DGP, West Bengal, and is against the spirit of law and recent judgments of Supreme Court and high courts which clearly indicate that neither the medical officers nor the accused should get advantage in the process and valuable medical evidence against the accused is lost in any matter.
The NCW quoted an analysis of recent cases conducted by a NGO network called Maitree which pointed that West Bengal recorded the 2nd highest number of rape cases in the country and the rate of increase in reported cases was twice the national average. Moreover, this state had the second lowest conviction rate.
It said girls from the age of 7 to women of 72 were subjected to rape and that in 44% cases of gang rape 39% victims were minor girls; 17% of victims were mentally/physically disabled; 8% rapes happened in hospitals/trains; in 44% of cases, accused is still absconding; in 17% of cases, women’s character, or the veracity of cases were publicly questioned; about 39% of rapists were known to women; in about 25% of the cases, FIRs were not filed at all, or filed later due to public pressure or court orders to this effect; and that majority of the case took place in the districts and small towns and villages.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}