Mandi most unsafe district for women, Lahaul-Spiti is safest

Mandi has emerged as the most unsafe district for women in the state. It has witnessed the highest number of rape and molestation cases in 2023 and 2024. Lahaul and Spiti with no rape case registered and only one case of molestation has been rated the safest district for women in the state.

Lesser cases this year

• This year, 210 rapes have occurred in the state so far, as compared to 242 cases in 2023
• The 210 rape cases comprised Mandi (36), Sirmaur (30), Kangra and Shimla (25 each), Solan (18), Chamba (16), Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (15), Una (11), Bilaspur (10), Nurpur and Kinnaur (five each), Hamirpur (three). No rape case recorded in Lahaul and Spiti district.

From January 1 to August 31 this year, Mandi had reported 36 rape and 50 molestation cases, highest in the state. During the same period last year, the district had reported 34 rape and 56 molestation cases.

According to the police, 210 rape cases have been registered this year so far, as compared to 242 cases in 2023. The 210 rape cases comprised Mandi (36), Sirmaur (30), Kangra and Shimla (25 each), Solan (18), Chamba (16), Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (15), Una (11), Bilaspur (10), Nurpur and Kinnaur (five each), Hamirpur (three). No rape case recorded in Lahaul and Spiti district.

In 2023, a total of 242 rape cases were registered in the state with Mandi recording the highest number of cases, followed by Kangra (29), Sirmaur (27), Shimla (26), BBN (25), Kullu (18), Solan (17), Bilaspur and Chamba (16 each), Una (12), Nurpur (10) and Kinnaur and Hamirpur (six each).

Similarly, 330 cases of molestation have been registered across the state this year as compared to 337 cases in 2023. Out of these 330 cases, 50 have been reported in Mandi, followed by Sirmaur (49), Kangra (46), Shimla (34), Solan (31), Chamba (22), Hamirpur (20), Nurpur (18), Kullu and Bilaspur (16 each), Nurpur (12), BBN (11), Kinnaur (three) and Lahaul and Spiti (one).

In 2023, a total of 337 molestation cases were registered across the state: Mandi and Kangra (56 each), Shimla (41), Sirmaur (33), Hamirpur (25), Una (22), Solan (20), Kullu and Bilaspur (18 each), Nurpur (17), Chamba (16), BBN (10), Kinnaur (four) and Lahaul and Spiti (one).

However, the state has also witnessed a decline in crime against women this year as compared to the preceding year. Ranjana Chauhan, DIG, Law and Order, said that overall, the total number of cases of crime against women had declined in the state due to effective efforts taken by the Police Department. She added that weekly meetings were being conducted in which crime against women was the focal point.