Crimes against women increasing: SC

Expressing concern over the rising number of crimes against women, the Supreme Court today said they are not safe and even subjected to molestation while travelling in buses.
A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi wondered why people in recent years have lost confidence in governments and come out on streets in protest.
"Why is it happening in the last few years? Why people are losing confidence? It did not happen ten years ago. Crime against women has come to the forefront only in the last five years. They used to suffer silently and they still continue to do so except in a few cases when there have been protests and it has come out in the open," the bench said.

The bench said that the December 16 gang rape is not an isolated incident and such type of offence was committed in the past also.
"Everyday girls travelling in buses are subjected to molestation. Women continue to suffer," the bench said, adding "We remember Nirbhaya but the memories of the earlier incidents are not good and such cases happened earlier also."
It said people are coming out on streets as they are not satisfied and their rights are not protected by the government bodies.

The court was hearing a PIL seeking its direction for setting up of a special team to probe an alleged incident of policemen beating up Aam Aadmi Party members protesting non-registration of an FIR in a rape case in June this year.

It reserved its order and asked senior advocate Shanti Bhushan, appearing for petitioner and Delhi government counsel Siddharth Luthra to suggest names of two persons each who could be part of team to conduct the probe.
The bench along with lawyers had watched in chamber the video footage of the incident recorded on behalf of Delhi Police to understand the situation on the ground. It said the recording was selective and footage of lathicharge is not there.