Sex crimes against children on rise in Meghalaya

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Oct 8:  Crime against children is increasing in Meghalaya. According to government figures, which show reported crimes, there has been a rise in the cases of sexual crimes involving a child in the state.

As per the Meghalaya police website, till August this year a total of 143 cases of crime against children has been recorded with the numbers expected to rise by the year end.

Out of the 143 reported cases, 71 cases were registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012. There are 28 cases registered under Kidpping & Abduction of children (Section 363, 364, 364A, 366 IPC) even as 11 cases of rape under Section 376 of the IPC were registered.

As per records available with the Meghalaya police, in the year 2013 the state had a total of 183 cases under crimes against children. The number rose to 213 cases in 2014 with 48 cases recorded under POCSO that year.

In 2015, a total of 257 cases have been registered under crimes against children with 118 cases registered under POCSO.

In September alone, two cases of rape against minors have been reported in the media. On September 3, two students of KV School Tura were allegedly drugged and raped by the principal Yogesh Joshi and another teacher, Deepjyoti Das. The duo was arrested on September 30, only after the two students rrated their ordeal to their parents.

Again on September 25, an 11 year old girl was allegedly raped by one Pynwanbor Kharbani at Mawdiangsm village in West Khasi Hills.