J&K records 34 SC, ST ‘Atrocities Act’ cases in 5-years

Srinagar, Dec 13: According to official data tabled in the Lok Sabha, a total of 34 cases were registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, in Jammu and Kashmir over the past five years.
As per the figures shared by the Ministry of Law and Justice, 21 cases were registered in 2023, the highest in the five-year period, while six cases were reported in 2022, three in 2021, and four in 2020. No case was registered in 2019 in the Union Territory.
The data reveals that most of the cases in J&K pertained to offences against Scheduled Castes, while cases involving Scheduled Tribes remained negligible, with only one case reported during the entire period.
The government informed Parliament that the implementation of the SC/ST Act primarily lies with the respective State and UT administrations, adding that the Act does not mandate submission of specific documents, including caste certificates, for initiating action under its provisions.
The statistics were compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and presented in response to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha. (KNO)