"We will not spare anyone who commits such a crime."
Statistics have revealed that over 2,700 rape cases were registered with the Gujarat Police in 2018 and 2019. This amounts to three cases each day in the state.
The statistics were presented in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly on March 11, 2020.
It revealed that Ahmedabad had the highest number of reported incidents with 540 rape cases.
The state government presented the figures in response to several questions raised by Congress MLAs.
The Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja stated that there were 2,723 cases registered by the police for rape and gang rapes in Gujarat between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019.
Many of the cases were registered in Ahmedabad with 540. Surat had the second highest with 452 followed by Rajkot with 158, and Banaskantha with 150.
The fewest number of rape cases were reported in the district of Dang with nine.
Minister Jadeja said: “We will not spare anyone who commits such a crime. The punishment for such a crime is life imprisonment or death.”
Congress MLA Naushad Solanki asked the assembly about the Modasa rape and murder case.
The horrific case relates to a 19-year-old woman who was gang-raped and hung from a tree in the district of Aravalli, Gujarat, in January 2020.
He added: “Why have the rapists not been hanged?”
The Leader of the Opposition Paresh Dhanani expressed concern over the statistics and said:
“Every day, three to four daughters are raped. It concerns me not only as a leader but also as a father.
“This is a shameful situation in the state considering women and girls’ safety.”
Minister Jadeja responded to the high number of rapes and other crimes in Gujarat: “The crime rate in Gujarat is much lower compared to other states in the country.
“As of December 31, 2019, 25 have been arrested for rape and gang-rape in Amreli district and 93 for incidents in Banaskantha.
“Three are yet to be arrested, police will soon trace and arrest them very soon.”
He added: “For fast investigation in such cases, the state government has formed a high-level committee chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (Home).
“The committee meets every 15 days and reviews the crimes and the status of cases.”
Ahmedabad Mirror reported that the crime rate in India is 5.2 for every 100,000 citizens while it is at 1.7 in Gujarat. The government has said that Gujarat is 36th out of the country’s states and union territories when taking the rape statistics into account.
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