'Atrocities on SCs/STs highest in Rajasthan'

New Delhi, Aug 13: Atrocities on Scheduled Castes(SCs) and Scheduled Tribes(STs) in the country have recorded an increase, with Rajasthan topping the list followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

According to a report of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment tabled in Parliament, the total number of offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 went up in 2004 as compared to 2003.

In Rajasthan, the cases in which SCs and STs were harassed and tortured jumped to 5391 in 2004 from 5241 in 2003.

The number of such cases in Bihar increased to 1785 from 1185 in 2003, while in Uttar Pradesh, incidents of atrocities rose to 2863 in 2004 from 1778 in 2003.

Other states where crime against these castes and tribes has gone up include Orissa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Jharkhand, Uttaranchal, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

However, Madhya Pradesh, Karanataka, Tamil Nadu, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Assam, Goa, Chandigarh and the Union Territory of Pondicherry have registered a decline in the cases of atrocities in 2004.

In Uttar Pradesh, the districts that are prone to atrocities include state capital Lucknow and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh's home district Etawah. Besdies, Hardoi, Sitapur, Gonda Bahraich, Barabanki, Banda, Basti Gorakhpur, Meerut, Varanasi and Agra have also been identified as sensitive in this regard.

In Bihar too, the sensitive areas inlcude the state capital Patna.

Besides Railway Minister and former state Chief Minister Lalu Prasad's home district Gopal Ganj, Gaya, Nalanada, Bhagalpur, Buxar, West Champaran, Dharbanga, Samastipur Muzaffarpur, Kishanganj Madhepura etc have also been included in this list.

The report, however, does not identify atrocity-prone districts in Rajasthan.

The 1989 Act aims at preventing offences against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes by persons other than belonging to these castes and tribes.

A Police officer not below the rank of a Deputry Superintendent of Police investigates offences under the Act. Moreover, for trial of cases registered under the Act, states specify special courts.

UNI

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