Crimes against SCs, STs went up in 2020; UP, MP top charts: NCRB data

Crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes continued to rise in 2020, with maximum cases of offences against the communities being registered in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, according to latest government data.

Last year, 50,291 cases were registered for crimes committed against Scheduled Castes (SCs), an increase of 9.4 per cent over 2019 (45,961 cases). The crime rate had increased from 22.8 per lakh population to 25 per lakh population in 2020, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) stated.

The NCRB data stated that 16,543 cases of "simple hurt" formed the largest chunk (32.9 per cent) of cases of crimes or atrocities against SCs during 2020. It was followed by cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (4,273 cases or 8.5 per cent) and cases under criminal intimidation (3,788 cases or 7.5 per cent), it said.

The data showed that another 3,372 cases were lodged for rape, 3,373 for assault on women with intent to outrage modesty, 855 for murder and 1,119 for attempted murder.

A total of 8,272 cases were registered for committing crime against Scheduled Tribes (STs), showing an increase of 9.3 per cent over 2019 (7,570 cases). The crime rate registered increased from 7.3 per lakh population in 2019 to 7.9 per lakh population in 2020, the NCRB, which functions under the Union home ministry, stated.

It showed that during 2020, simple hurt cases (2,247) formed the highest number of cases of crimes or atrocities against STs accounting for 27.2 per cent of cases, followed by rape with 1,137 cases (13.7 per cent) and assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty with 885 cases (10.7 per cent).

In 2018, the country had recorded 42,793 cases of crimes against SCs and 45,961 in 2019, with Uttar Pradesh topping the charts among states and Union Territories in both the years, the data showed.

Among states and UTs, the highest of 12,714 cases (25.2 per cent) of crimes against SCs in 2020 were from Uttar Pradesh followed by 7,368 (14.6 per cent) in Bihar, 7,017 (13.9 per cent) in Rajasthan, 6,899 (13.7 per cent) in Madhya Pradesh and 2,569 (5.1 per cent) in Maharashtra, it showed.

Delhi recorded 69 cases in 2020, down from 76 in 2019, the data of the NCRB stated.

In cases of crimes against STs, the country had logged 6,528 cases in 2018 and 7,570 in 2019, according to the NCRB, which is responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and special and local laws in the country.

Of the 8,272 cases in 2020, Madhya Pradesh accounted for the highest 2,401 cases (29 per cent) followed by 1,878 (22.7 per cent) in Rajasthan, 663 (8 per cent) in Maharashtra, 624 (7.5 per cent) in Odisha and 573 (6.9 per cent) in Telangana, it showed.

Chhattisgarh logged 502 cases last year, it added.

Of all cases of crimes against SCs, rape accounted for 1,137 cases, assault on women with intent to outrage modesty for 885 cases, murder for 172 and attempted murder for 144 cases, the data showed.