Crimes against children fall but remain alarming in AP

Visakhapatnam: Crime against children in Andhra Pradesh declined by around 8% in 2024 compared to 2023, but the state still reported an average of over seven such offences a day. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 2,633 cases were recorded in 2024, down from 2,844 cases in 2023 and 3,308 in 2022.Offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act accounted for 1,784 cases (67%), involving 1,794 child victims in 2024. Of these, over 1,700 cases were registered under stringent sections, including 943 cases (with 946 victims) under Sections 4 and 6, which deal with severe sexual assault. Section 4 prescribes punishment for penetrative sexual assault with imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life, while Section 6 covers aggravated penetrative sexual assault, with penalties ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment or death, particularly in cases involving children below 12 years.The data shows that crimes against children accounted for 2.26% of all cognisable crimes in Andhra Pradesh in 2024. Though this proportion declined from around 3% in 2023, the figures indicate a continuing scale of offences against children. Among victims under Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act, 942 were girls and four were boys in 2024.The NCRB also recorded 36 cases of murder involving 43 child victims in the State in 2024, including four cases of murder with rape.Among States, Chhattisgarh recorded the highest number of cybercrimes against children with 268 cases in 2024, while Andhra Pradesh reported 38 cases. A majority of these offences involved publishing or transmitting sexually explicit content involving children, highlighting the growing threat in online spaces and the need to prioritise child safety on digital platforms.