Patna, May 23: Katihar has recorded the maximum number of rape cases in the country in 2011, much to the chagrin of those in charge of law and order in the district.

Statistics made available to the state government by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCBR) reveal that over 500 rape cases have been recorded in Katihar district in the past five years. In 2011, altogether 123 rape cases — the highest in the country — were reported from various police stations in Katihar. Barsoi, a block in the district bordering Nepal, is the most vulnerable.

Katihar, according to police sources, recorded 120 rape cases in 2009, 115 in 2008 and 105 in 2007. However, the number of such incidents declined to 55 in 2010. “I was shocked to come across the figures that were revealed during a review meeting last week,” deputy inspector-general (DIG) of police (Purnea range) Bachchu Singh Meena told The Telegraph.

Katihar, along with Purnea, Araria and Kishanganj districts, comes under the jurisdiction of Purnea division. Meena was transferred to Purnea range from Tirhut recently.

Next to Katihar in the number of rape cases is Purnea, which recorded 40 incidents in 2010 as against 49 in 2009, 59 in 2008 and 80 in 2007. Similarly, Araria recorded 42 cases in 2010, 28 in 2009, 37 in 2008 and 47 in 2007. Kishanganj doesn’t lag behind and it registered 24 cases in 2010, 33 in 2009, 30 in 2008 and 50 in 2007.

The DIG also expressed concern over the “lackadaisical attitude” of officers probing into the rape cases. “Several cases have been pending for years together and the investigating officers are sitting on the files. I have directed the officers and the deputy superintendents of police (who are the supervisory authority) to dispose of such cases on a priority basis,” Meena said.

Another fact that came to the fore during the review meeting was that many cases reported from the district are false. “I had convened a meeting with senior police officers, who revealed that rape charges were levelled because of family feud, property dispute and some other reasons,” Meena said.

He added, “Had the cases been genuine, the women in Katihar would not have dared to venture out for shopping and other purposes. Similar is the situation in the four other districts under the division. Only 50-60 per cent of the complaints are true. In most of the cases, complaints had been filed in courts and FIRs lodged subsequently. There have been cases of a woman being raped at different places. If the cases do not turn out to be true, stern action should be taken against the complainants under sections 182 and 211 of IPC.” The DIG has also asked the officers to institute cases of forgery against fake complainants. “The charges under sections 420 (forgery) and 193 (tampering with the evidence) should be slapped on such complainants,” he said.

Meena on Tuesday sent a letter to director-general of police Abhayanand, suggesting the latter to ensure that cases that turn out to be false do not figure in crime data sent to the NCBR.