Although the prime accused of the recent girl child’s assault case has surrendered, in no way it undermines the dogged efforts of the state police, but for which the evasion might have prolonged. It’s due to the arguments placed by the IO at the court, the last resort to escape the arm of law by the alleged culprit was negated, leading to the arrest. While it’s now an entirely legal process that will unfold, the gruesome incident which will count as a first-degree assault on humanity will raise the question once more-why such back-to-back crimes are taking place in Arunachal Pradesh, a place where its people have always enjoyed the reputation of upholding humanistic values. No generalized view, either from any of the angles of psychology, criminology, social science or other subjects relevant to the issue should be attempted to arrive at a possible reason. Tendencies to do wrong, even if it breaches the known and practiced parameters that define an ideal civil society will always remain within a section of people, which is why crimes happen. However, when there are repetitions, it indicates that there must be reasons which are emboldening such people to commit such crimes with the confidence playing in the background that they have enough ‘provisions’ that would keep them shielded from the ambit of law. It’s for the thinkers of the subject of criminal justice to identify such loopholes, if any and suggest remedial provisions. Crimes against children are rising not only in Arunachal, but across the country and a more serious thinking is needed.

It was only in March this year the incident of a 6-year old girl child from Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district who died out of prolonged unbearable physical torture and mental shock surfaced, jerking the conscience of the state’s people. It needs to be recalled that it was a time when the brutal murder case of Techi Meena and her unborn child was still fresh in everyone’s memory. There are little way outs that would efface the trauma the child is currently undergoing and only the highest-possible punishment available under law can bring some solace. According to National Crime Record Bureau's ‘Crime in India 2019’ report released in September last year (the latest one), crimes against children increased by 4.5 % in 2019 compared to 2018 and there was an increase of 18.9 % in registration of cases under POCSO Act. To have a more up-to-date picture of the current situation of the country’s children vis-à-vis crimes against them, 2020’s edition of the NCRB’s report has to be awaited.

It’s only with joint efforts by administration, police, judiciary and all sections of society and a new thinking, the evil tendency of committing crimes against the most-vulnerable segment, the children can be minimised.