Delhi has witnessed around four rape cases a day this year, almost double the last year's rate, in an indication that crime against women has not abated in the capital despite campaigns and stepped up police action.
The city witnessed a total of 181 rapes between January one and February 15, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran told Rajya Sabha in a written question.
An analysis of figures shows that Delhi witnessed four rapes a day in the capital during this period while the average for 2012 was around two. In 2012, the Delhi Police Annual Report said that 706 rape cases were reported.
Last year also saw a 23.43 per cent leap in the number of rape cases compared to 2011 when it registered 572 such incidents in the city.
However, police say that the surge in number of rape cases could not be directly attributed to the law and order situation as more than 97 per cent of rape accused were known to the victims.
Last year, in all the rape cases except 26 cases, the accused were known to the victim -- 207 were family members and 200 friends. Of the 706 cases last year, police say 93.62 per cent of the cases have been solved.
Only last week, the city had witnessed the rape of a seven-year-old girl in a municipal school in north-west Delhi's Mongolpuri by an unidentified person. Nobody has been arrested in the case.
The city had in December witnessed a series of protest after the December 16 gangrape of the girl, who died in Singapore on December 29.
The government had then initiated several measures to ensure safety of women in the city.
More than six lakh cases of atrocities against women: Govt
More than six lakh cases of atrocities against women were registered between 2009 and 2011, the Rajya Sabha was informed.
As per information provided by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total number of 2,03,804, 2,13,585 and 2,28,650 cases of atrocities against women were registered in 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively, Minister of State for Home R P N Singh said in a written reply.
The criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 promulgated on February 4, 2013, provides for stringent punishment for crimes against women, the minister said.
