Chandigarh, May 13 -- Chandigarh saw a 14.2% rise in convictions for fresh Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) cases in 2024, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. The data highlights an improvement in judicial outcomes for cases both registered and decided within the same calendar year.

In 2024, city courts convicted accused persons in 185 fresh POCSO cases, up from 162 in 2023. Of these, 148 convictions involved heinous offences under Sections 4 and 6 (aggravated sexual assault), while 37 pertained to Sections 8 and 10 (sexual assault). However, acquittals remained high, with 314 cases resulting in the accused being cleared.

On the investigation front, Chandigarh Police filed charge-s...