The department related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its 213th report submitted to Rajya Sabha on July 19 observed that Assam has the highest rate of violent crimes, kidnappings and abductions, among all the states of India.
In its report, the Committee accepts that the insurgency-related instances of kidnappings and extortions may be on a decline, but a general rise in the instances of such crimes is ‘worrying’. The Parliamentary Standing Committee is perplexed that despite a waning trend in insurgency, violent crimes and kidnappings have been on a rise.
The Committee apprehends that this rise may be due to poor rehabilitation and settlement of former insurgents who may be indulging in such crimes for ransom. So the Committee recommended the central and state governments to closely monitor the activities of insurgents who have surrendered during the last decade and also those with whom the government is presently holding negotiations.
Expressing deep concern, the Committee observed that a large number of victims who were kidnapped or abducted in Assam before and during 2016 are yet to be recovered. Even more worrisome is the fact that a large majority, at more than 81 percent, of victims are women. The Committee is of the view that this may also point towards a connection between such abductions and human trafficking.
It recommended an inter-state investigation to find out the reasons for this extremely high rate of kidnappings of women. The Committee also recommended that sustained operations must be launched to trace and recover the victims of kidnappings and abductions.