MP DGP Blames ‘Independent’ Girls For Rise In Kidnapping Cases, Faces Backlash

Scrolling through news websites often shows us that the cases of crimes against women and children are on the rise. And what is more saddening than the crimes themselves is the society’s mindset of victim blaming. What was she wearing? Why was she out at night? Why was she sharing an auto with a man? Why did she step out of the house alone? This is the usual discourse between people instead of asking the most important question of all – Why did the perpetrator commit the crime? But what if a law enforcement official felt the same? That would be truly troubling, won’t it?

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 6,016 cases of kidnapping and abduction of children have been reported in Madhya Pradesh in the year 2016. When DGP VK Singh was questioned as to the rise in the number of these cases, he said it was because of the growing independence among girls.

#WATCH MP DGP,VK Singh,"Ek naya trend IPC 363 ke roop mein dikha hai. Ladkiyaan swatantra zada ho rahi hain,aaj ke samaj mein ladkiyon ki badhti swatantrata ek tathya hai.Aise cases mein increase hua hai jismein wo ghar se chali jati hain aur report hoti hai kidnapping ki" (4Jul) pic.twitter.com/M42uCRquM1

— ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2019

NDTV quoted the police chief saying,

“A new trend has emerged in the form of 363. Girls are getting more independent as they are going to schools and colleges, which is also one of the factors. Their freedom is a fact; their interaction with other boys is also a reality. In such cases, a pattern has come to light where the girls leave home and their parents approach police with a complaint of kidnapping.”

As expected, people were not impressed by his remarks and expressed their disappointment.

@narendramodi ji what a quality of senior police official…. he is incharge of our security….. He thinks freedom is an issue …. why not sack his freedom and let him enjoy the kind of restrictions faced by women in the society…………He is pathetic.

— Secular Sir Niermal (@pro17neer) July 7, 2019

Minor girls are leaving home due to curtailment of freedom and education. That's the fact. Stop criminalising agency of girls. Make changes in 363, 366A and POCSO. Review the age of consent or find young generation in jails -state managed or community managed.

— Pragnya #NoToNRC+CAA (@pragnyaj) July 7, 2019

To cover up his incompetence…he is blaming the women's freedom.

— The Patriot (@indicheguevara) July 7, 2019

Policemen with such mentality, should be immediately sacked 😠😠😠

— AB Anubhav (@ab97917000) July 7, 2019

Mr. sociologist !

— Dhuandhar (@Dhuandhar1) July 7, 2019

It is indeed a sad day when an official charged with ensuring the safety of citizens himself blames female freedom for the crimes against them. It is appalling to think that a senior cop is basically condemning girls for going to school/college and interacting with their male classmates, don’t you think?