New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI): West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh have earned the dubious distinction of leading a list of states where crime against women in 2011 was highest.
With 7.5 per cent share of the country's population, West Bengal accounted for nearly 12.7 per cent of total crime against women by reporting 29,133 cases.
The National Crime Records Bureau figures show that Andhra Pradesh, accounting for nearly 7 per cent of the country's population, recorded 12.4 per cent of total crime against women with 28,246 cases.
Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of rape cases (3,406) accounting for 14.1 per cent of total such cases reported in the country.
Rape cases have been further categorised as incest rape and other. Incest rape cases have decreased by 7.3 per cent from 288 cases in 2010 to 267 cases in 2011 as compared to 9.2 per cent increase in overall rape cases.
Maharashtra (44 cases) has accounted for the highest (15.3 per cent) incest rape cases.
National capital Delhi has reported 17.6 per cent of rape cases, 31.8 per cent of kidnapping and abduction cases, 14.0 per cent of dowry deaths and 10.1 per cent of molestation cases among 53 mega cities, the NCRB report said.
Among 53 cities, Delhi (4,489 cases) has accounted for 13.3 per cent of total crime against women followed by Bangalore (1,890 cases ; 5.6 per cent), Hyderabad (1,860 cases ; 5.5 per cent) and Vijayawada (1,797 cases ; 5.3 per cent).
The crime against women was significantly higher in Vijayawada, Kota, Kollam, Jaipur and Asansol at 120.5, 57.5, 54.2, 48.6, and 48.2 per cent respectively as compared to average of mega cities at 21.0 per cent.
Uttar Pradesh with 7,525 cases has accounted for 21.2 per cent of the total cases of kidnapping and abduction of women at the national level. Delhi has reported the highest crime rate at 12.4 per cent as compared to the national average of 2.9 per cent.
The cases of dowry deaths have increased by 2.7 per cent during 2011 over the previous year. 26.9 per cent of the total such cases reported in the country were reported from Uttar Pradesh (2,322 cases) alone followed by Bihar (1,413 cases, 16.4 per cent), the NCRB report said.
Andhra Pradesh has reported 42.7 per cent (3,658 cases) of sexual harassment followed by Maharashtra 12.5 per cent (1,071 cases) of total incidences during 2011. Andhra Pradesh has reported the highest crime rate (4.3 per cent) as compared to the national average of 0.7 per cent.
Cases of torture of women by husbands and relatives also went up by 5.4 per cent from the previous year. 19.9 per cent of these were reported from West Bengal (19,772 cases). The highest crime rate of 21.6 per cent was also reported from West Bengal as compared to the national rate of 8.2 per cent.
Incidents of molestation in the country have increased by 5.8 per cent from 2011. Madhya Pradesh has reported the highest incidence (6,665) amounting to 15.5 per cent of total such cases. Kerala has the highest crime rate (11.2 per cent) as compared to the national average of 3.6 per cent, the report said.
28.7 per cent of dowry cases were reported from Andhra Pradesh (1,899) followed by Karnataka (1,210 cases) accounting for 18.3 per cent of total cases.