Atrocities against Scheduled castes, tribes on the rise: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Atrocities committed against scheduled castes and tribes in Maharashtra rose in 2014 over 2013, the state government told the state's legislative assembly on Tuesday.

In 2014, Beed topped the list of districts in which most atrocity cases occurred.

Data released by the government shows 120 atrocity cases in Beed in 2014 against 102 in 2013 (an 18% rise). There were 147 atrocities in Yavatmal in 2014 against 152 in 2013 (decline of 5%). Pune witnessed 104 cases in 2014 against 101 in 2013 (a rise of 3%), while Ahmednagar witnessed 155 cases in 2014 against 111 in 2013 (4% rise).

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that until January 2015, 664 atrocity cases against scheduled castes and 147 against scheduled tribes were reported across Maharashtra. The conviction rate in the atrocity cases is 6.42%. "We are training government officials how to investigate and collect evidence and documents so the success ratio of convictions will go up. We will ensure that the Scheduled Caste and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989, will be strictly implemented," said the CM. In 2012, as many as 1,365 cases of atrocities against Dalits were lodged across the state, compared to 1,089 in 2013.