SRINAGAR (HRNW) – The state of child security and human rights remains critically volatile in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). According to the annual report released by India’s National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a staggering total of 887 criminal cases against children were officially registered across the occupied territory during the year 2024.
The official statistics indicate a marginal, nominal decline when contrasted with the preceding three years. The NCRB database recorded 920 cases of crimes against children in 2022, followed by 910 cases in 2023. However, Kashmiri human rights defenders and civil society organizations maintain that due to severe administrative censorship, state intimidation, and a pervasive atmosphere of fear, the actual number of offenses remains vastly underreported.
Key findings and structural gaps highlighted in the NCRB report include:
Surge in Kidnappings and the Collapse of Judicial Accountability
-
Abduction Emerges as Dominant Offense: The report explicitly pinpoints kidnapping and forced abductions as the most prevalent crimes perpetrated against minors in the occupied territory. In 2024 alone, 243 separate cases of child abduction were formally registered with law enforcement.
-
Abysmally Low Conviction Rates: The local judicial apparatus has demonstrated a profound failure in delivering accountability or justice for minor victims. Throughout the entire year of 2024, extensive judicial proceedings culminated in successful convictions in only 12 cases.
-
Mass Acquittals of Suspects: While only 12 cases saw legal penalties, the courts conversely acquitted suspects in 112 cases, and 4 cases were summarily dismissed. Furthermore, 16 registered cases were disposed of entirely without undergoing any formal trial or legal scrutiny.
Kashmiri legal experts, child rights advocates, and international observers view this minimal conviction rate and the disproportionate pattern of acquittals as systemic impunity. They emphasize that the breakdown of legal safeguards leaves Kashmiri children dangerously vulnerable to criminal exploitation, with perpetrators insulated from real legal consequences.
Stand Up for Human Rights – Support Our Cause!
Help HRNW, the world’s No. 1 human rights portal. Click on the link below to support our mission in raising a voice for the oppressed and promoting human rights globally:
