SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir recorded 3,751 cases of crimes against children between 2019 and 2023, but secured only 60 convictions during the same period, according to official data submitted to the Rajya Sabha. The figures were provided by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in response to a question from Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather Hisham on crime trends, conviction rates, and protective measures for children.
The data show a steady rise in registered cases in the Union Territory, 470 in 2019, 606 in 2020, 845 in 2021, 920 in 2022, and 910 in 2023. Convictions, however, remained almost static and in single digits each year: 12 in 2019, 17 in 2020, 10 in 2021, 11 in 2022, and 10 in 2023. Trial completions were also limited, with 80 completed in 2019, 51 in 2020, 60 in 2021, 94 in 2022, and 115 in 2023.
Replying to the broader question, the Government said that the National Crimes Record Bureau compiles and analyses all data on crimes against children under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other special laws. It stressed that child safety remains a priority and highlighted steps taken to strengthen the legal and institutional framework.
The Ministry said the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been amended to introduce more stringent punishment, including the death penalty for aggravated offences, and that Special Courts have been set up to facilitate faster trials. The Government also outlined the role of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in monitoring POCSO implementation, operating the online POCSO e-Box for reporting abuse, issuing support-person guidelines, and developing a POCSO Tracking Portal to monitor compensation and case progress.
Additional measures cited include awareness campaigns, workshops, school-safety manuals, and extensive training programmes conducted by the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development for duty holders and child-protection personnel across the country.
