97% cases of atrocities against SCs in 2022 reported from 13 states, says govt report

Of 51,656 cases registered nether the instrumentality for Scheduled Castes (SCs) successful 2022, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 23.78 per cent of the full cases with 12,287, followed by Rajasthan astatine 8,651 (16.75 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh astatine 7,732 (14.97 per cent). Other states with a important fig of cases of atrocities against SCs were Bihar with 6,799 (13.16 per cent), Odisha with 3,576 (6.93 per cent), and Maharashtra with 2,706 (5.24 per cent). These six states accounted for astir 81 per cent of the full cases.

“Thirteen states, cumulatively accounting for 97.7 per cent (51,656) of the full cases (52,866) relating to offences of atrocities against members of SCs, registered nether the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, successful conjunction with the Indian Penal Code, during the twelvemonth 2022,” the study said.

Similarly, the bulk of cases of atrocities against STs were concentrated successful 13 states. Of the 9,735 cases registered nether the instrumentality for STs, Madhya Pradesh reported the highest fig astatine 2,979 (30.61 per cent), the study said. Rajasthan had the 2nd highest fig of cases astatine 2,498 (25.66 per cent) portion Odisha recorded 773 (7.94 per cent). Other states with a important fig of cases included Maharashtra with 691 (7.10 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh with 499 (5.13 per cent).

The information besides provided penetration into the presumption of investigations and charge-sheeting nether the Act. Among the SC-related cases, 60.38 per cent led to complaint sheets being filed portion 14.78 per cent were concluded with last reports owed to reasons specified arsenic mendacious claims oregon deficiency of evidence.

By the extremity of 2022, probe was pending successful 17,166 cases.

For ST-related cases, 63.32 per cent resulted successful complaint sheets being filed portion 14.71 per cent ended with last reports.At the extremity of the play nether review, 2,702 cases involving atrocities against STs were inactive nether investigation.

One of the astir concerning trends highlighted successful the study is the declining condemnation complaint for cases nether the Act. In 2022, the condemnation complaint dropped to 32.4 per cent from 39.2 per cent successful 2020.

Moreover, the study pointed retired the inadequate fig of peculiar courts acceptable up to grip cases nether the law. Of 498 districts successful 14 states, lone 194 had established peculiar courts to expedite trials successful these cases.

The study besides identified circumstantial districts peculiarly prone to atrocities with lone 10 states and Union Territories declaring specified districts. The remainder said determination was nary territory prone to specified cases of atrocities.

Uttar Pradesh, which reported the highest fig of cases of atrocities against SCs, was among the states which said “No atrocity prone areas person been identified successful the State of Uttar Pradesh”.

The study emphasises the request for targeted interventions successful these districts to curb the incidence of caste-based unit and guarantee stronger extortion for susceptible communities.

The study besides said SC/ST extortion cells had been acceptable up successful Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, NCT of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Puducherry.

Special constabulary stations for registration of complaints of offences against SCs and STs person been acceptable up by 5 states — Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.