2,055 harassment cases during LDF rule: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 (UNI) Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today said 2,055 women harassment cases were registered after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government came to power.

Though atrocities against women had increased in the state, the government had not decided to conduct a study in this regard, he said in a written reply.

Mr Balakrishnan said 167 rape cases, including ten cases of rape of minors, and 759 cases of sexual harassment of women were reported during this period.

He said that eight dowry related deaths and 933 cases of harassment demanding more dowry were reported in the state. There were also 837 cases of harassment by husbands and 39 cases of women kidnapping during the LDF tenure.

The Minister stated that 12,351 people, including 5,644 women and 1,013 children were reported missing in the state between May 2001 and May 2006. Besides this 1,044 people, including 406 women and 305 children were kidnapped during this period and 11,341 cases were registered.

During the same period, 208 people had died in judicial custody and 14 in police custody, he said adding that the total cases registered in the period was 848,476.

Forty nine cases of communal riots were reported during the same period, the minister disclosed.

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