SHILLONG, Sept 15: Over 8,800 criminals have been arrested for their involvement in the various crimes including those related to women and children in the state during the past five years.
This was informed by the Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui while replying to a short duration discussion on the prevailing safety and security of the people in the state raised by Opposition chief whip and Umroi legislator George B Lyngdoh in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Rymbui said the state has witnessed a trend of over 3,000 cases being registered annually for the past five years.
The cases registered are mostly crimes which fall under the category of murder, abductions, crime against women and children, NDPS cases, NGT cases and offences against property.
In 2018, a total of 3,534 cases were registered, 3,885 in 2019, 3735 in 2020, 3425 in 2021, and 2291 in 2022 till date.
Rymbui said crimes keep on taking place due to various economic, social and personal reasons of an individual, and it is not easy to predict the next act of commission by criminals, but at the same time, the police officials right from the grass root level to the top brass have been working tremendously towards ensuring a safe and prosperous living condition for citizens of all ages.
He said the police have been very diligent when it comes to investigation of cases, as evident from the fact that a total of 5683 cases have been charge sheeted in the past five year.
“The police department has been able to arrest 8805 criminals involved in various crimes in the past five years and to cap off their commendable efforts a total of 549 individuals have also been convicted for their involvement in criminal activities,” he said.
On crimes against women and children, the home minister said since 2018, a total of 1267 cases of crimes against women have been registered in the state and a total of 408 cases of crimes against children have also been registered.
A total of 1542 cases were registered under the Prevention of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) since 2018. On an average, more than 300 cases have been registered from the year 2018 to 2021.
“These cases of crimes against women and children are indeed a deep concern for all of us, as the vulnerable sections of the society are being targeted by criminals from time to time.
Even though these cases of crime against women and children have been witnessing an upward trend, but the silver lining is that, criminals involved in such cases have also been arrested and prosecuted under the relevant provisions of law,” he said.
The minister informed that a total of 1260 accused persons have been arrested for crimes against women and children in the past five years and a total of 1357 criminals have been arrested for crimes under POCSO since 2018.
A total of 103 accused persons have been convicted in the same time period.
“There is need to spread awareness in society so that such crimes especially against children are prevented,” he asserted.
