Mumbai saw 130 pc increase in rape cases over past decade: Praja Foundation report

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Mumbai's crime dynamics have evolved drastically over the past decade, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The city, once plagued by the underworld, today grapples with a rise in sexual abuse cases and a wave of cybercrime. Policing experts say the rise in sexual violence among youth may be linked to the increasing use of social media, but mainly due to the inability to cope with failed relationships and the lack of maturity in handling rejection.

Simultaneously, with new-age criminals adapting to the latest technologies, cybercrime has also surged alarmingly, shows data provided by the NGO, Praja Foundation. But the city has seen a decline in certain crimes, too, such as chain-snatching and house burglaries. Pickpocketing has also decreased sharply post-pandemic, largely due to the widespread adoption of digital wallets. Yet, thefts rose by 126 per cent, likely because of the inclusion of mobile phone loss complaints.

Sexual violence

The associate manager of Praja Foundation, Eknath Pawar, told mid-day, "There has been an exponential increase in the rape cases in Mumbai - by 130 per cent between 2013-22. In 2013, only 391 rape cases were registered, but the data swelled to 901 in 2022," he said. Molestation increased by 105 per cent in the same period, he also said.

The "real" numbers, however, may vary, as an IPS officer in Maharashtra Police said most of the rape cases are "highly technical" in nature when it comes to interpretation, but Pawar said, "Yet we are forced to register them as per the guidelines." Crimes rooting from love affairs gone wrong (crimes of passion), though, are on the rise, with the youth often resorting to violence, said Shirish Inamdar, Addl Dy Commissioner (retd) State Intelligence Department (SID), Maharashtra.

"This highlights a troubling trend, where emotional turmoil leads to destructive consequences, transforming the fabric of the community. When relationships fall apart and feelings of betrayal intensify, some youths resort to aggression," explained the former Mumbai police officer. Inamdar also said, "This trend highlights deeper emotional struggles [in today's youth] and the inability to handle rejection and heartbreak." However, reflecting on the situation over a decade ago, Pawar said that survivors and their families were often hesitant to report sexual abuse cases to the police back then. "But increased awareness and media efforts have encouraged victims to come forward and hold perpetrators accountable," he added.

Cybercrime menace

According to data provided by the Praja Foundation, the registration of cybercrime cases increased by a whopping 243 per cent between 2018 and 2022. The statistics also revealed that "credit card fraud and cheating cases have skyrocketed by 657 per cent" during the period. However, criminologists say the data could have been more alarming had all the cyber victims registered FIRs. "Many victims do not approach the police to register a complaint in credit card fraud cases," said Inamdar.

Old v/s new

A serving IPS officer in Maharashtra Police, requesting anonymity, said, "In the past, extortion was a significant challenge for law enforcement in Mumbai. To combat this, the Anti-Extortion Cell was established. But it has now become a thing of the past, thanks to the decisive actions by the officers who tackled the menace with an iron fist…"

Back in the day, most of the accused involved in extortion were the henchmen of underworld dons, "Who have now become real estate mafia eyeing to illegally grab bigger plots of land", said the officer, adding, "And these mafia are flourishing under the shelters of politicians." Similarly, the narcotics landscape has also evolved in the last decade. Back in the day, the drug mafias profited mainly from the sale of opium and charas.

The police officer explained that addicts were often found huddled under bridges or in dilapidated buildings, using silver foil and matchboxes to consume brown sugar. "They were easily identifiable due to their neglected personal hygiene and avoided water due to skin sensitivities linked to their drug use. These individuals typically belonged to the lower strata of society," said Inamdar.

However, today, the drug market is flooded with synthetic substances like LSD, and Meow Meow (MD), and the consumption cuts across socio-economic backgrounds, with drug usage common among college students as well as the older age groups. This transition has not only expanded the drug market but has also increased the potency and accessibility of substances. Reports suggest the interplay between organised crime and the party culture has intensified in the last decade. Meanwhile, the city's growing population and increasing use of social media have given rise to new challenges.

Road rage is one such increasing concern in Mumbai. The rising number of vehicles on the city's pothole-ridden roads leads to heavy traffic, causing frustration among commuters and pedestrians alike. "The frustrated commuters often indulge in heated arguments which sometimes turn violent if not defused by timely public intervention," said an officer in Mumbai (traffic) police.

In parallel, Inamdar believes that sexual activities involving minors, often masked as "romantic relationships," have risen significantly due to extensive social media use. "Extramarital affairs have also become common... These trends are clear consequences of the heightened use of social media, which has transformed our lifestyles over the past decade, particularly after the lockdown, when many became slaves to their screens."