Fresh data collected by the ministry of home affairs shows that the maximum number of youth are being booked under rape charges in the 16 to 18 years age bracket. In fact, the offence of rape falls only second to burglary reported against children (under 18 years of age), bringing them directly in conflict with the law.
While burglary by children under 18 years is highest at 4.88 per cent, rape follows closely with 4.26 per cent being registered agai-nst juveniles of all the rape offences in the country. The number of juvenile rape offenders in 16-18 age bracket are higher than those accused of murder, kidnapping and abduction, dacoity, robbery, cheating, molestation by juv-eniles in the country.