48.5 per cent rapes out of the total 1,123 were committed by a known person. (Representational)
The accused in 48.5 per cent of the total 1,123 rape cases registered in Himachal Pradesh in the past three years are relatives, according to data obtained from the state police department.
Out of the total 545 cases involving relatives - father /stepfather were accused in 10 per cent, cousin in 6 per cent, grandfather in 1.4 per cent, uncle in 6.6 per cent and other relatives in the 75.7 per cent cases, the data showed.
A total of 1,123 rape cases were registered in the state from January 2020 till October 2022 (1,034 days) which implies that on an average one rape case is registered every day in the state.
Out of these, 48.5 per cent rape were committed by a known person (relatives), 27.1 per cent committed during friendship, 16.5 per cent due to false promise of marriage, three per cent during live in relationship and 4.6 percent have been committed by unknown persons.
"Relatives involvement in rape cases points towards the mental sickness. Easy access to pornographic material especially through mobile in adolescent age mixed with impulsive dare also leads to such acts," said Chief Executive Officer, Himachal Pradesh State Mental Health Authority (HPSMHA), Sanjay Pathak.
Normally the accused target people known to them with a desire to overpower and believe that the victims would not report or could be persuaded, he told PTI, adding that the "society is degrading".
Elopement of teenagers with lovers has added another dimension to rape and abduction cases in the state and it has come to notice that in many cases, girls in the age group of 13-18 years run away with their lovers, indulge in consensual sex and when brought back home, the parent register case of rape and abduction under societal pressure.
There are about 55 repeated sexual offenders in the state and at present 553 (18.6 per cent) of the total prisoners lodged in 14 jails of Himachal Pradesh have been booked in connection with the crime against women, according to police officials.
The Police Department has set up women Help desk number 1091 for redressal of grievance, women police stations have also been made functional in all districts of the state except Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur. The department has also started "Veerangna on Wheels" scheme throughout the state for combating crime against women besides installation of CCTV, officials added..
There is a dire need to conduct awareness programmes under the aegis of Panchyati Raj institution and sensitized educational institutes to mitigate such crime. Citizen groups and NGOs should be encouraged to increase awareness in the society, police said
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