Karnataka sees 15 sexual harassment cases daily, conviction rates remain alarmingly low: Report
Bengaluru: Karnataka is grappling with a surge in sexual harassment cases, with an average of 15 cases reported daily in the first two months of 2025, sparking growing concerns over women’s safety in the state.
Data from the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB), cited by The New Indian Express on Tuesday, reveals that 901 sexual harassment cases and 78 eve-teasing incidents were registered between January and February this year.
Despite the high number of reported incidents, conviction rates remain alarmingly low. In 2024, 6,319 sexual harassment cases were filed, yet only nine resulted in convictions. A staggering 3,908 cases are still under trial, 1,734 are under investigation, and 45 cases remain untraced.
Women’s rights activist K.S. Vimala, from Janawadi Mahila Sanghatane, has expressed concern that the actual number of such incidents could be much higher, as many cases go unreported due to social stigma, fear, and a lack of trust in the police and legal systems. “Even when women go to file complaints, police respond insensitively. Victims would be discouraged by asking why they were out at night or why they were alone,” TNIE report quoted Vimala as saying.
She also pointed out that women face risks not only at night but during the day as well. She called for increased police patrols and the installation of CCTV cameras in vulnerable areas as preventive measures.
Furthermore, Vimala criticised the State Women’s Commission for not doing enough to raise awareness and take proactive steps to improve women’s safety. She asserted that the low conviction rate sends the wrong message to society and called for more comprehensive action to combat sexual harassment in the state.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
