Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh continued to hold on to the dubious distinction of having the highest number of rape cases registered in the country for the third consecutive year in 2018.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report released Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh accounted for a little over 16 per cent of the country’s total 33,356 rape cases registered in 2018. Among those raped in MP there were 54 victims who were below six years.
However, the number of rape cases registered in 2018 is smaller as compared to 2017, when 5,562 cases were reported in MP. However, the number of rape cases in the state has gone up in 2018 as compared to 2016, when 4,882 cases were reported.
Besides, 2,841 cases of rape involving victims below 18 years of age were reported in 2018 while 142 victims were in the age group of six to 12 years.
In the 2018 report, Madhya Pradesh is followed by Rajasthan (4,335), Uttar Pradesh (3,946), Maharashtra (2,142) and Chhattisgarh (2,091) in the number of rape cases registered.
As per the data provided by the Madhya Pradesh Prosecution Department, the courts in the state had awarded capital punishment to the convicts in 18 cases of rapes against minors in 2018.
PTI
