National crime data to include info of attacks on journos, fake news

Times of India: New Delhi: Sunday, January 20, 2019.

The national crime records bureau, which tabulates and analyzes crime data in India, is considerably behind schedule in releasing its annual report but is looking to deliver a richer and more varied picture by categorizing offences such as attacks on journalists, RTI activists, hate crimes, lynchings and fake news.

It will be for the first time that NCRB's annual report will provide data on crimes that have been in discussion but were not logged in separate categories. The crime in India 2017 report, likely to be released ahead of elections, will include incidents such as "lynching by 5 or more persons", "mercilessly beating" or "crushing by vehicle" among murders.

Also, "political reasons", "hate crimes", "fake news/rumours" apart from "psychopath/serial killers" and "gang rivalry" are going to be part of the categorization when it comes to motives for murder or type of crime. The new data will tabulate how many people were killed in police lathicharge, police firing or by a riotous mob.

The annual publication, on which the policy-makers, police, criminologists, researchers and media in India and abroad depend for their planning and analyses, was to be released by October or November last year but NCRB decided to write to all states seeking details under the new crime heads. Most of the states are yet to provide the fresh data.

Officials said earlier crimes were classified in 40 categories, which have now been increased to 70 crime heads in the NCRB report.

Among other interesting inclusions this time are crimes committed in schools, or by political leaders, "sants" (religious leaders), khap panchayats, illegal immigrants, transgenders, bank officials, students, private bodyguards and incidents of stone pelting, encounters of civilians and death of security personnel in terrorist incidents.

An organized crime category will for the first time reveal how many crimes were committed by 'supari' or contract killers, sand and mining mafia, examination racketeers or hawala operators.

While dealing with crimes involving communication devices under the IT Act, the report will analyze cases of fake news on social media, cyber stalking of women and children apart from any incident of abetment to suicide via an online activity. People who have committed rape after befriending a woman or a girl on social media or created a fake profile, morphed a picture or defamed a woman online would also be part of the latest statistics.

Till now, government didn't collect data on attacks on RTI activists, journalists, social activists, whistle-blowers and witnesses who struggle or write on issues related to corruption, gender-based violence, caste, or expose illegal activities related to any mafia or a political party but the ministry of home affairs last year directed NCRB to tabulate and analyze the pattern.

RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj said, "The NCRB collecting data on activists, whistle-blowers and journalists is a welcome step. However, it must be meaningful and accurate rather than misleading. What happens is that when an activist goes to register an FIR in the police station, either the complaint is not registered, or the purpose of attack is diluted to save the vested interests. I hope NCRB analyzes the motives behind these attacks."