Mumbai: The Economic Survey 2016-17 of Maharashtra government reveals that between 2014 and 2016 the crime against women increased by 21.9 per cent, while that against children increased by a shocking 67 per cent.
The survey was tabled in the state legislature today.
Crime against women included “direct or indirect physical and mental cruelty”, the survey report said.
Citing the State Crime Record Bureau data, it said that 32,548 complaints were lodged by women in the state in 2016, against 26,693 in 2014.
There was a significant rise in the cases of kidnapping and abduction of women, from 2,457 in 2014 to 4,776 in 2016. Number of rape cases went up from 3,438 in 2014 to 4,209.
Dowry death cases came down from 279 to 227 while sexual harassment cases decreased drastically, from 1,575 in 2014 to 793 in 2016.
As many as 8,115 cases of crime against children were registered in 2014; the number shot up to 13,591 in 2016.
A substantial rise was seen in the cases of kidnapping and abduction of children, from 2,016 in 2014 to 8,016 in 2016.
Cases of rape of children increased from 1,714 to 2,086 during this period.
NCP MLC Vidya Chavan said the survey showed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s handling of the home portfolio was inept and the department needed an independent minister.
