Lok Sabha Question No. 657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-06
Subject: Reluctance to Report Crimes
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 657

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 6 TH  FEBRUARY 2024/ MAGHA 17, 1945 (SAKA)

RELUCTANCE TO REPORT CRIMES

†657.      SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state :

(a)  whether  about  73  percent  of  people,  particularly  women  and  the deprived sections are reluctant to report crimes to the police due to bad attitude of police in the country;

(b) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  issued  instructions  to  all  the  States  to register all complaints without discrimination on the basis of caste, belief, religion and gender;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) if not, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)

(a) to (e): 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility of maintaining law and  order, protection of life and  property  of the citizens including investigation and prosecution of crime against citizens including women & children rest with the respective State Governments.

Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories from time to time with a  view  to  help  the  States/UTs  to  deal  with  crimes  against  women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and children. States/UTs have been advised regarding compulsory registration of FIR without any discrimination and taking penal action against erring officials vide advisories  dated  10.05.2013,  05.02.2014  and  12.10.2015,  09.10.2020  and 30.06.2021. These advisories are available at www.mha.gov.in.

Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a number of initiatives for safety of women and children across the country, which are given below:- i.  The  Criminal  Law  (Amendment),  Act  2013  was  enacted  for  effective deterrence against sexual offences. Further, the Criminal Law (Amendment)  Act,  2018  was  enacted  to  prescribe  even  more  stringent penal provisions including death penalty for rape of girls below the age of 12 years. The Act also inter-alia mandates completion of investigation and filing of chargesheet in rape cases in 2 months and trials to be completed in 2 months.

ii.  Emergency  Response  Support  System  provides  a  pan-India,  single internationally recognized number (112) based system for all emergencies, with computer aided dispatch of field resources to the location of distress.

iii.  Using  technology  to  aid  smart  policing  and  safety  management,  Safe City Projects have been sanctioned in first Phase in 8 cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai).

iv.    Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  provided  financial  assistance  under the 'Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme, to the  States/UTs  for  their  capacity  building  such  as  setting  up  of  cyber forensic-cum-training  laboratories,  hiring  of  junior  cyber  consultants  and training of LEAs' personnel, public prosecutors and judicial officers.

v. MHA has launched the 'National Database on Sexual Offenders' (NDSO) on 20th September 2018 to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement agencies.

vi.  MHA  has  launched  an  online  analytic  tool  'Investigation  Tracking System for Sexual Offences' for Police on 19th February 2019 to facilitate them  to  monitor  and  track  time-bound  investigation  in  sexual  assault cases in accordance with Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018.

vii. In order to improve investigation, MHA has taken steps to strengthen DNA  analysis  units  in  Central  and  State Forensic Science Laboratories.

This  includes  setting  up  of  State-of-the-Art  DNA  Analysis  Unit  in  Central Forensic Science  Laboratory,  Chandigarh.  MHA  has  also  sanctioned setting-up and upgrading of DNA Analysis units in State Forensic Science Laboratories after gap analysis and demand assessment.

viii.  MHA  has  notified  guidelines  for  collection  of  forensic  evidence  in sexual  assault  cases  and  the  standard  composition  in  a  sexual  assault evidence  collection  kit.  To  facilitate  adequate  capacity  in  manpower, training and skill building programs have been undertaken for Investigation Officers,  Prosecution  Officers  and  Medical  Officers.  Bureau  of  Police Research & Development has distributed 18,020 Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits to States/ UTs as orientation kit as part of training.

ix. MHA has approved project for setting up and strengthening of Women Help Desks in Police Stations in all States/UTs. With a view to make the Police Stations more women friendly and approachable, one-time financial assistance is being provided from Govt. of India to States & UTs for setting up of Women Help Desks in all police stations across all States/UTs. MHA has also approved a project regarding establishing Anti-Human Trafficking Units in all districts of the country.

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