OVER 29000 CASES OF CRIME AGAINST WOMEN IN ASSAM IN TWO YEARS

The Assam government said 29,223 incidents of violence against women were reported from various parts of the state in the past two years. In a written reply to a query by Congress MLA Nandita Das, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told the Assembly that 8,771 cases of physical assault, 1,552 rapes and 4,794 incidents of kidnapping were registered with the police in fiscal 2016-17. Replying on behalf of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also holds the Home portfolio, Patowary told the House that in the current financial year, till January 6, complaints have been filed for 8,335 physical assault cases, 1,457 rape incidents and 4,314 kidnappings. Altogether 1,786 people have been arrested in the 3,009 rape cases filed since April 2016, Patowary said.

"During this period, nine women died due to rapes. The Assam government provides Rs 3,00,000 to a rape victim or her family, in case she is dead, under the 'Assam Victim Compensation Scheme, 2012 (as amended)'. For specially abled women, the amount has been raised to Rs 10,00,000," he added.

In a bid to prevent the menaces, the state government has initiated various steps such as a formation of a women's investigation cell in the police, setting up of a women's cell in every district and sub-division and a special juvenile police unit in the district headquarters, the minister said.

"The Assam government had formed a task force in 2012 to stop crime against women and various departments were asked to implement its suggestions," Patowary added.