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The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
South Zone Police achieve higher conviction rate in POCSO cases in 2025
South Zone Police have recorded a good jump in conviction rate in cases registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the first seven months of 2025. 'As many as 153 POCSO cases in the southern districts have resulted in conviction, involving 168 accused persons. Among them, 122 cases pertaining to child sexual abuse led to the conviction of 136 accused. This is a notable conviction rate of 70%,' said Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Prem Anand Sinha. The conviction rate had improved in comparison with that of 2024, he added. During the previous year, a total of 238 POCSO cases, involving 252 accused, ended up in conviction, with a 61% conviction, he added. Increased quantum of punishment The IG said that not just the conviction rate had improved but also the quantum of punishment had increased in many cases. 'The courts have awarded life imprisonment in 20 cases and 44 sentences of imprisonment of 20 years and above,' Mr. Prem Anand said. Among the southern districts, Dindigul has got the highest number of convictions in POCSO cases. It is followed by Theni and Kanniyakumari (20 cases each) Thoothukudi (18 cases) and Sivaganga (17 cases). Two accused in Dindigul district cases were sentenced to imprisonment of 30 years and 50 years respectively. In Sivaganga district, two cases resulted in 62 years of jail and 41 years of imprisonment on a concurrent basis. While one case in Theni ended up in double life imprisonment, three cases -- two from Theni and one from Kanniyakumari – resulted in imprisonment exceeding 30 years. Among the nine POCSO cases registered along with Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that resulted in conviction, life imprisonment was awarded in one case each in Dindigul and Ramanathapuram districts. A 20-year sentence was imposed in one such case in Sivaganga. The police in South Zone continue to maintain a stringent and committed stance against crimes targeting children. 'Final reports in POCSO cases are being filed within the mandated 60-day period, thus ensuring a timely progression of investigations,' Mr. Prem Anand said. Besides, the police are conducting targeted awareness sessions to disseminate information on the provisions of the POCSO Act, victim rights, and other relevant legal safeguards. The police are also working in close coordination with the CWCs (Child Welfare Committees) at the district level to ensure better victim support, awareness and reporting. Expeditious trial 'In a majority of cases, trials have been completed within 1–2 years on an average, enabling a swift justice delivery,' he added. The police remain committed to thoroughout investigations, timely charge-sheet filing and active trial follow-up, reaffirming their resolve to protect children and support victims through every stage of the criminal justice process. The improved conviction rate also reinforced public trust in the criminal justice system.. Detention under Goondas Act The Inspector General of Police said that South Zone Police had also intensified action against sexual offenders and had detained 93 of them under the Goondas Act. In order to keep a sustained monitoring against sexual offenders, a total of 799 historysheets were being maintained across South Zone.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Karnataka recorded 1,799 child marriages in 3 years: Minister
As many as 1,799 child marriages took place in the last three years in the State, informed Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. Child marriages in Karnataka Year No. of child marriages 2022-23 405 2023-24 709 2024-25 685 In a reply to JD(S) floor leader Suresh Babu during the question hour, the Minister said 405 children in 2022-23, 709 in 2023-24 and 685 children in 2024-25 were married off and that child marriages were the major reason for the increasing number of underage pregnancies in the State, she added. Social mores She said social customs practised in some communities and tribal societies were a significant factor in the continued practice of child marriages. The Child Protection Committees (CWCs) were functioning in each district under the jurisdiction of the department, and there were four such committees in Bengaluru city. Ms. Hebbalkar said there was a necessity for coordination among several departments to prevent child marriages and underage pregnancies. The helpline number 1098 has been functioning to ensure the safety of children. 'Akka pade' Ms. Hebbalkar said watch committees need to be formed from the gram panchayat level to the district level to ensure the safety of the children. Based on the 'Akka Pade' comprising women police officers and NCC cadets formed in Bidar district, the department has decided to form the same in Mysuru, Belagavi and Mangaluru by providing vehicles and other facilities for the safety of school and college students, and, women. The 'Akka Pade' has become a successful model in the Bidar district, the Minister said. Mr. Babu, however, provided his own data and claimed that 26,000 underage pregnancies were recorded in the State. The number of underage pregnancies was highest in Belagavi (2,622), followed by Bagalkot (897), Ballari (850) and Koppal (617).
Hans India
01-08-2025
- Hans India
State police launch ‘Op TRACE' to find missing girls
Vijayawada: In a focused effort to trace missing girls across Andhra Pradesh, director general of police Harish Kumar Gupta on Thursday launched 'Operation TRACE', a month-long special drive to be conducted from August 1 to 31. The campaign, coordinated by the women and child safety wing, aims to address growing concerns over abductions and disappearances of girls by uniting the police machinery in a targeted, statewide initiative. Unveiling the campaign poster at the DGP's office, Harish Kumar Gupta explained that Operation TRACE is built on a five-point strategy — Trace, Reconnect, Assist, Counsel, and Empower. Under the first component 'Trace', advanced tools like CCTNS, theMission Vatsalya Portal, facial recognition software, and Aadhaar-based age verification will be used to identify and track missing girls. Intensive surveillance will be undertakenat transport hubs, border checkposts, and shelters, especially in high-risk areas, with the deployment of women police officers. 'Reconnect' focuses on reuniting rescued girls with their families and providing them temporary accommodation under the care of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs). Under 'Assist', girls will receive immediate medical help, food, shelter, clothing, legal aid, and identity documentation. In cases involving trafficking or abuse, FIRs will be promptly registered. 'Counsel' will involve psychological support and mental health interventions in partnership with NGOs, while 'Empower' aims to ensure long-term rehabilitation by facilitating education, skill development, career guidance, and linking survivors to government welfare schemes. The DGP also released a detailed action plan for the operation. From August 1–2, task forces at district and sub-divisional levels will be formed to collect and consolidate data on missing children. From August 3–10, inspections will be carried out at government and NGO-run shelters, and FIRs will be reverified using technologies such as DNA testing and facial recognition. During August 11–30, special search operations will be held in railway stations, bus stands, temples, and red-light areas. A public engagement campaign titled 'FIND HER' will also be rolled out to encourage citizen participation. To report missing children, the public can use the 'Report Missing Children' feature in the Shakti App or reach out through the following helplines: 112 (Police), 1098 (Child Helpline), 181 (Women's Helpline), and the Shakti WhatsApp Helpline at 7993485111. DGP Harish Kumar Gupta directed all district police units to prioritise Operation TRACE and ensure its strict implementation through local police stations. Senior officials including ADGP (L&O) N. Madhusudhana Reddy, IGP APSP and In-charge of women and child safety wing B Rajakumari, and SP, women protection cell, N Sridevi Rao were present at the launch event.
Hans India
28-06-2025
- Hans India
Operation Muskaan to begin across State from July 1
Hyderabad: The eleventh phase of 'Operation Muskaan' will be conducted across Telangana from July 1 to 31. This month-long initiative is aimed at tracing, rescuing, and rehabilitating missing and trafficked children. A total of 121 Sub-Divisional Police Teams, comprising 706 police personnel, have been mobilised across the state to implement the operation. The operation will be conducted under the direct supervision of Charu Sinha, Additional Director General of Police, Women Safety Wing, which has been designated as the nodal agency for the operation in Telangana. These teams will work in close coordination with key departments and organisations, including the Women Development and Child Welfare Department, Labour Department, Health Department, Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), and various non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to ensure the effective rescue, protection, and rehabilitation of children. To facilitate seamless coordination, a state-level online convergence meeting was held on June 27th at the CID Conference Hall in Hyderabad, chaired by Charu Sinha. Representatives from crucial stakeholder departments and organisations, including the Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the Telangana State Legal Services Authority, the Women Development and Child Welfare Department, the Labour Department, the Public Health & Family Welfare Department, DCPOs, CWCs, UNICEF, Anti-Human Trafficking Teams, and Sub-divisional Operation Muskaan Teams, attended the meeting. Discussions focused on critical concerns such as child labour, bonded labour, and child begging. The emphasis was placed on enhancing inter-agency coordination, refining rescue protocols, strengthening legal frameworks, improving rehabilitation processes, and ensuring effective data management via the Telangana State Child Protection and Welfare Portal.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- The Hindu
Child labour: survey finds 140 hotspots
A survey conducted by the Women and Child Development (WCD) department this year in all districts to detect child labour and child beggary detected 140 hotspots, Minister for Women and Child Development Veena George has said. The maximum number of hotspots were found in Ernakulam district – 30. Thiruvananthapuram had 12 hotspots, Kollam 11, Pathanamthitta six, Alappuzha 10, Kottayam seven, Idukki 13, Thrissur nine, Palakkad four, Malappuram nine, Kozhikode four, Wayanad eight, Kannur 19, and Kasaragod seven, a statement quoting the Minister said. These hotspots covered festival zones, companies, and plantations. Efforts to check child labour and beggary centred on these locations would be strengthened by the WCD in association with the Labour department and the police to completely eliminate child labour by next year, the Minister said. Last financial year, 704 rescue drives were held as part of the Sarana Balyam project implemented by the WCD to identify children engaged in child labour and rehabilitate them. Fifty-six children found likely to engage in child labour were rehabilitated. The Minister said Sarana Balyam had been linked to Kaval Plus to provide long-term services and rehabilitate children. Those rescued were presented in front of child welfare committees (CWCs). If they belonged to other States, they were sent to the CWCs of their respective States. If that was not possible, their care and protection and rehabilitation was taken up by the WCD. In case of child labour incidents, call 1098 or message 8281899479 on WhatsApp.
