Crime Against Scheduled Tribes Records a 5% Spike, Madhya Pradesh Has Highest Number of Cases, Say 2016 NCRB Data

In 2016, there was a 4.7% rise in atrocities against the Scheduled Tribes people in India over the previous year, shows the latest National crime release on Thursday. The figure stands in stark contrast to the 8% dip in crime against the Tribes people recorded in the year 2015.

Satata Karmakar

Updated on: 30 November 2017 4:31 pm

Atrocities/Crime Against Scheduled Tribes have increased by 4.7% in 2016 (6,568) over 2015 (6,276), and 5.5% rise in crime or atrocities against the Scheduled caste people.

Madhya Pradesh (1,823 cases) reported the highest number of cases of atrocities against Scheduled Tribes, accounting for 27.8%, followed by Rajasthan with 18.2% (1,195 cases) and Odisha with 10.4% (681 cases) during 2016.

Image Source: ncrb.govt.in

According to the data, the total number of crimes against the scheduled caste people has seen a spike last year. Compared to 2015 which witnessed 38,670 crime against the SCs, the year 2016 recorded 40,801 cases.

With 10,426 cases, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes, accounting for 25.6%, followed by Bihar with 14% (5,701) and Rajasthan 12.6% (5,134) during 2016.

There is no shortage of laws to address the violence against India’s disadvantaged castes and tribes.

Specific laws include the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Besides, the Indian Penal Code, which governs most crime in India, has adequate legal provisions – if implemented.