Crime Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes: 2022 Report

A new government report released in September2024, reveals that nearly 98% of all crimes against Scheduled Caste (SC) communities in 2022 were concentrated in 13 states, with Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh leading in reported cases.

Key Points:

Concentration of Crimes: The annual report under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (PoA Act) indicates that 52,766 cases of crimes against SC communities were registered.
Notably, 99% of crimes against Scheduled Tribes (ST) were also reported from these 13 states.
Discrepancies in Reported Cases: There is a notable discrepancy in crime statistics:
- The report lists 52,766 cases against SCs, while Union minister Ramdas Athawale cited 57,571 cases in July, a difference of 4,805.
- For Uttar Pradesh, the report mentions 12,287 cases, contrasting with 15,368 in the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, revealing a gap of 3,081 cases.
- Rajasthan's figures show an inconsistency of 101 cases (8,651 reported vs. 8,752 cited by Athawale).
State-Wise Breakdown:
- Madhya Pradesh and Bihar reported consistent figures of 7,732 and 6,509 cases, respectively, across both reports.
- Maharashtra showed a difference of 476 cases (2,276 vs. 2,743).
Atrocities Against ST Communities: The report indicates 9,735 cases against ST communities, diverging from 10,064 cases noted by Athawale, a difference of over 300 cases. Madhya Pradesh again reported the highest atrocities, with 2,979 cases.