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

Mumbairsquos crime dynamics have evolved drastically over the past decade especially after the COVID19 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 rejectionSimultaneously with newage criminals adapting to the latest technologies cybercrime has also surged alarmingly shows data provided by the NGO Praja FoundationBut the city has seen a decline in certain crimes too such as chainsnatching and house burglaries Pickpocketing has also decreased sharply postpandemic 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 complaintsSexual violenceThe associate manager of Praja Foundation Eknath Pawar told midday ldquoThere has been an exponential increase in the rape cases in Mumbaimdashby 130 per cent between 201322 In 2013 only 391 rape cases were registered but the data swelled to 901 in 2022rdquo he said Molestation increased by 105 per cent in the same period he also saidThe ldquorealrdquo numbers however may vary as an IPS officer in Maharashtra Police said most of the rape cases are ldquohighly technicalrdquo in nature when it comes to interpretation but Pawar said ldquoYet we are forced to register them as per the guidelinesrdquo 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 MaharashtraldquoThis 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 aggressionrdquo explained the former Mumbai police officer Inamdar also said ldquoThis trend highlights deeper emotional struggles in todayrsquos youth and the inability to handle rejection and heartbreakrdquo 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 ldquoBut increased awareness and media efforts have encouraged victims to come forward and hold perpetrators accountablerdquo he addedCybercrime menaceAccording 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 ldquocredit card fraud and cheating cases have skyrocketed by 657 per centrdquo during the period However criminologists say the data could have been more alarming had all the cyber victims registered FIRs ldquoMany victims do not approach the police to register a complaint in credit card fraud casesrdquo said InamdarOld vs newA serving IPS officer in Maharashtra Police requesting anonymity said ldquoIn the past extortion was a significant challenge for law enforcement in Mumbai To combat this the AntiExtortion 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 fisthelliprdquoBack in the day most of the accused involved in extortion were the henchmen of underworld dons ldquoWho have now become real estate mafia eyeing to illegally grab bigger plots of landrdquo said the officer adding ldquoAnd these mafia are flourishing under the shelters of politiciansrdquo 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 charasThe police officer explained that addicts were often found huddled under bridges or in dilapidated buildings using silver foil and matchboxes to consume brown sugar ldquoThey 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 societyrdquo said InamdarHowever today the drug market is flooded with synthetic substances like LSD and Meow Meow MD and the consumption cuts across socioeconomic 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 cityrsquos growing population and increasing use of social media have given rise to new challengesRoad rage is one such increasing concern in Mumbai The rising number of vehicles on the cityrsquos potholeridden roads leads to heavy traffic causing frustration among commuters and pedestrians alike ldquoThe frustrated commuters often indulge in heated arguments which sometimes turn violent if not defused by timely public interventionrdquo said an officer in Mumbai traffic policeIn parallel Inamdar believes that sexual activities involving minors often masked as ldquoromantic relationshipsrdquo have risen significantly due to extensive social media use ldquoExtramarital 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 screensrdquo