Child-related crime on the rise in Assam: Pramila

The child-related crime in the state is increasing at an alarming rate, informed Social Welfare Minister Pramila Rani Brahma in the monsoon session of Assam Assembly on Friday while replying to some queries of Congress MLA Roselina Tirkey.

The minister said that in 2017-18, 1,071 cases of crime related to children have been registered while the number has increased to 1,537 in 2018-19 which shows that 466 numbers of cases have been increased within a year.

It isshocking to know that children are involved in 963 cases of theft in the lastthree years while they were also involved in 273 murders, 583 kidnap and 603rape cases. The children are also involved in 129 robbery case, 476 beating and708 ditching cases.

On the other hand, 109 cases have been registered under the Arms Act and 28 cases were registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in which children are directly involved.

According to reports submitted by the minister in the assembly, the child-related crime in 2016-17 was 1,220.

Brahma,while replying to another question of the MLA said that 7-18 years of childrenwho are involved in crime are rescued by child welfare police officials andthey are being produced at Juvenile Justice Board and registered in thejuvenile justice board.  

The ministerfurther said that juvenile justice board, district child welfare committee anddistrict child protection committee have been set up in each district tocounsel the children who are involved in crime. The children are being advisedand instructed through these committees to not involve in any crime and theyare also being provided with counseling so that they cannot involve incommitting any crime once they are rescued by these committees.