Badlapur sexual assault: Mumbai sees 12 POCSO cases every day

Representation Pic

Following the sexual assault case in Badlapur, which sparked massive protests, there has been a significant surge in POCSO cases registered in Mumbai. Since August 20, nearly a dozen POCSO cases have been reported daily in the city. Before the Badlapur incident, only three to four cases were reported each day. This dramatic increase is attributed to heightened awareness efforts by the police, who are actively encouraging citizens to report incidents of sexual abuse and assault.

The Bombay Catholic Sabha organised a march against the rising cases of rape and assault against girls and women, in Thane, on Sunday morning

Most survivors are children aged four to 16 years, with perpetrators often identified as acquaintances, relatives, watchmen, and others. According to police sources, between August 20 and 24, approximately 49 FIRs involving molestation, assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and rape under the POCSO Act were registered across the city:

August 20: 5 cases
August 21: 12 cases
August 22: 11 cases
August 23: 12 cases
August 24: 9 cases

In contrast, before this surge:
August 16: 3 cases
August 17: 2 cases
August 18: 3 cases
August 19: 1 cases

Three cases registered in Dahisar (August 23) and Malvani (August 21) involved fathers accused of assaulting their children. In another case registered at Sahar police station on August 22, the accused was a stepfather, with victims between six and eight.

Recent cases

In most recent cases, victims, primarily aged 15 to 17 years, were allegedly sexually abused, assaulted, molested, or raped by people they knew, including neighbours, relatives, friends, and familiar figures like watchmen, vendors, and shop stall owners. Only a few cases involved unknown perpetrators.

Only a few cases involved unknown perpetrators. Representation pic

In two cases, both the accused and the victims are minors. One case registered at Tilak Nagar police station on August 21, and another at RCF station in Chembur on August 20, involved minors in a relationship, with the victim in the RCF case being six months pregnant. Additionally, two cases were registered in Kandivli and Powai. In Kandivli, both the victim and the accused are minor boys, while an adult, who is unknown, is also involved.

Lawyer speaks

Senior lawyer Subodh Pathak said, "It is observed that after the Badlapur incident, the number of cases registered under the provisions of the POCSO Act in Mumbai has increased. But have the actual incidents increased? The answer is ‘no.' Rather; women are now more willing to report such incidents. However, in some cases, both women and men have started to misuse this act. Women involved in domestic disputes are also exploiting it, sometimes using their daughters as a tool. This is because, in these cases, the chances of getting bail are lower compared to other offences. Therefore, the police need to be cautious when arresting accused individuals under this act. They should thoroughly investigate the matter before making an arrest. Even the Supreme Court has granted significant power to the Investigating Officer (IO) in such cases, allowing their decision to arrest or not to be considered final."