Property offences in 2017 up by 19.7 per cent in TN, crimes against women down

In Tamil Nadu, a total of 22, 214 property crime cases were reported in 2017, as against the 18,544 cases in 2016, indicating an increasing trend of 19.7 per cent, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said in the Assembly in the policy note. 

However, the crime rate – calculated based on population – has come down to 225.91 in 2017 from 230.79 in 2016 per one lakh population. In the 22,214 cases, a total of properties worth Rs 144.84 crore were lost and the police had detected properties worth Rs 96.53 crore during the same period. 

Among the property offences, number of thefts had gone up from 12,128 to 15,422, during the corresponding period. The number of burglary cases had also gone up from 4,532 to 4,751. 

While cases with regard to murder for gain went up from 92 in the 2016 to 94 in 2017, number of dacoities came down from 109 to 97 during the same period. However, the number of robbery cases, including chain snatchings, went up from 1,680 in 2016 to 1,850 in 2017. According to the statistics provided by the government, the number of crimes against women came down in 2017 to 2,068 from 2,504 in 2016. 

Number of rape cases came down from 336 in 2016 to 292 in 2017, while dowry deaths too showed a decline from 58 to 48 (number of cases). Number of molestation cases came down from 854 to 744. Similarly, sexual harassment cases too reduced from 27 to nine. 

The statistics also showed a reduction in the number of cases related to domestic violence by husband and his kin from 1,256 to 984 during the same period. According to the statistics tabled by the CM, cases related to kidnapping and abduction of women too came down from 1,020 to 860 in 2017. 

Number of fatal accidents too showed a downward trend. As many as 16,559 fatal accidents, in which 17,218 persons were killed had been reported in the year 2016. Last year, the number of fatal accidents was 15,404, in which 16,157 people had died. 

Of the total 1,466 murders (gone up from 1,511) throughout the state, 381 cases were those related to family quarrel while 281 people were killed due to previous enmity. 

Love affairs and sexual causes had triggered as many as 228 murders, the policy note said. Land dispute too had led to murder of as many as 108 people. The total number of POCSO cases registered in 2017 were 1,587.