Delhi registered an 11.5% increase in the number of crimes committed by juveniles in 2017 compared to the cases reported in 2016, shows the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report released on Monday. With 35.2%, Delhi also had the highest percentage of the crimes committed by juveniles in 2017, among 19 metropolitan cities (with a population of more than 2 million).
The NCRB data shows that a total of 2,677 crimes were committed by the juveniles in Delhi in 2017. The city reported 2,368 such cases in 2016 and 1,981 in 2015.
The data also compared crimes committed by juveniles in 19 metropolitan cities in India, in the year 2017, which Delhi topped with 2,677 cases. While Mumbai reported only 914 crimes by juveniles that year, Chennai recorded 573, Bengaluru 215 and Kolkata only 35 cases of crime committed by minors, the data said.
As a percentage share of crimes committed by juveniles in 19 metropolitan cities, Mumbai had 12% cases, Chennai 7.5%, Bengaluru 2.8% and Kolkata only 0.5%, the NCRB data shows.
Explaining the disparity in the data between the metro cities, deputy commissioner of police, Rajan Bhagat said that Delhi has the facility to register First Information Report (FIR) online for thefts and lost articles. “Increase in the number of crimes committed by juveniles are statistically not comparable between Delhi and other cities that do not have the facility of registering FIRs online,” Bhagat said.
NCRB data also shows that out of total 2,677 crimes committed by juveniles in Delhi in 2017, there were 46 murders, 132 cases of rape, 93 molestations, 320 robberies, 49 cases of rash driving, 17 incidents of unnatural sex and seven dacoities.
The most common crime that the juveniles committed in Delhi was theft with 1,381 cases, the data shows.
Ramesh Negi, chairperson, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) attribute the spurt in the number of cases to two major factors – one, the economically vulnerable families which go through stress that eventually converts into aggression and other kinds of deviance such as substance abuse.
“Juveniles from such backgrounds get exploited by criminal groups indulging in theft, snatching and even robberies. Second factor is the declining moral fabric of society where aggression and intolerance are considered fashionable. Such cases reflect the reduced influence of family and moral values, which need to be reinforced,” Negi said.
Following the given crime rate, NCRB report also revealed that as many as 3,268 juveniles were apprehended in Delhi in 2017. As many as 1,611 juveniles also had their cases pending disposal at the beginning of the year. Of these, 409 juveniles were sent home after advice or admonition, 106 were sent to special homes, 66 were fined, eight were awarded imprisonment and 89 were acquitted, the data shows.
The report also stated that 86.9% of the total juveniles apprehended in Delhi were found to be guilty. Of the total juveniles apprehended, 2,783 were found to be living with their parents, 248 with their guardians and 237 were homeless.
The data also stated that 210 of the total juveniles apprehended in Delhi had studied from class 10 to 12, and 1,213 had studied up to primary to matriculation; 1,084 were found to have dropped out of school before primary and 752 were illiterate.
