Tamil Nadu reported the third-highest number of human trafficking related incidents in 2015, with a total of 577 cases. The State accounted for 8.4 per cent of all human trafficking cases that year; Assam, highest with 1,494 cases, accounted for 21.7 per cent.
This is, however, a better performance from the State, which was second in 2014 with 509 human trafficking cases, all booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act; this accounted for 9.3 per cent of all human trafficking cases. West Bengal, second in 2015, had topped with a tally of 20.1 per cent of all crimes across the country.
Most of the State’s trafficking cases in 2015 relate to the violation of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. As many as 511 cases were registered under the provisions of the Act. With a total of 684 victims, Tamil Nadu tops the country in immoral traffic cases; Karnataka is second, with 423 cases and 592 victims. Of Tamil Nadu’s 511 cases under the Act, 351 were registered under Section 5, which deals with the procuring, inducing and taking a person for the sake of prostitution.
In 2014, the State police registered 509 cases under the Act; there were 590 victims. Karnataka came second, registering 392 cases, which had a total of 591 victims.
Among the 53 cities in the country with over a lakh population, Chennai has invoked the Act most, after Bengaluru. While police in the former registered 201 cases, Bengaluru police registered 236 immoral trafficking-related cases in 2015. In comparison, Delhi police used the Act only thrice, while in Mumbai, 85 cases were registered. Continuing the statewide trend, Chennai police used Section 5 of the Act the most.
