Atrocities against SCS rise in Maharashtra: Bhan

Mumbai, May 16 (UNI) National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairman Suraj Bhan today said that there has been a rise in the incidents of atrocities against scheduled castes in Maharashtra, while the conviction rate is just one per cent.

Addressing a news conference here, Mr Bhan said the conviction rate in the country was mere three per cent.

In Maharashtra, the acquittal rate was 21 per cent. ''This is because cases are prolonged in the courts and police do not take proper action,'' he added.

Despite the enactment of several legislations, cases of atrocities were increasing and in 2004, there were about 38,000 cases registered, he informed.

Giving the annual statistics of atrocities committed in Maharashtra, he said in 2002, about 605 cases were registered, in 2003 the number rose to 611, in 2004 it went up to 726 and in 2005 the number reached to 731.

When asked about the cases registered this year, Mr Bhan said he did not have information on this year's statistics.

To a question, he said he was not aware that an atrocities case was filed against a cabinet minister (Animal Husbandary Minister Anees Ahmed).

Mr Bhan said the Commission had told the Maharashtra government to put up a summary of atrocity acts at the police stations across the state. A meeting of state Home ministers and DGPs would be convened to review the rise in atrocity incidents in the country, he added.

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