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CHENNAI: If NCRB statistics are to be believed, there were no incidents of harassment at workplace, in buses or other modes of public transport, no cases of attempt to rape or foeticide in Tamil Nadu in 2017.

Columns against these heads read ‘zero’ as did for cases under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. Likewise, there were no cases of attempt to commit dacoity, dacoity with murder and counterfeiting of government stamps.

But citizens said it was highly unlikely that Chennai was free from such offences. On Sunday, a young woman was verbally abused by an MTC conductor on a bus. Video of the incident went viral. The girl went to a police station but police sources said she did not give a written complaint. NCRB would not take cognizance of cases where there is no written complaint.

“I have been harassed several times on buses. One them was a routine offender and almost everyone who travelled with me knew it. But I was discouraged from filing a complaint. Many said police would come home for inquiry and would harass me,” said S Swetha, who passed out of MOP Vaishnav College for Women earlier this year.

“Fear of filing a complaint is not just among women. My uncle who lost more than Rs 10,000 to a man who made counterfeit government stamps never complained to the police,” said a resident of Mylapore .

Activists said the NCRB data might not reflect the true picture as cases are not reported. “In some cases, many do not register a complaint fearing consequences. In a few other cases, police convince victims not to register complaints,” said senior advocate Sudha Ramalingam. “Also, many such offences happen within the family and for many reporting such crimes becomes difficult. There is also a long delay in getting justice,” she said.

