KARACHI, Jan 27: An alarming increase was recorded in the sexual assault cases reported to the Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) during the last year as compared to the cases in the year 2000.

According to the statistics compiled at the medico-legal section of the hospital, 55 rape cases of active nature were reported in the sexual assault category as compared to ten in the year 2000.

Similarly, 53 rape cases of passive nature were reported against only three during the year 2000.

As per the figures for the year 1999, three such cases had been reported each in the active and the passive categories.

In 1998, three rape cases of active nature were brought to the hospital, besides 14 under the passive category, the data showed.

ROAD ACCIDENTS: The number of people injured in road accidents also increased during the last year as 1379 cases were reported at the JPMC compared to 1295 in year 2000.

Similarly, 1305 and 1253 people injured in traffic accidents were brought to the JPMC during 1999 and 1998 respectively.

The rate of fatalities also increased during the last year as 62 victims were brought dead to the hospital in traffic accidents while the figure was 49 in 2000.

In 1999, 43 and in 1998, 56 victims of traffic accidents were brought dead to the hospital.

POLICE TORTURE: During the year 2001, the number of police torture cases reported at the JPMC also showed a sharp increase as compared to those during the year 2000.

During the last year, 59 cases of police torture were brought to the Jinnah Hospital alone for treatment in sharp contrast to 37 such cases in the preceding year.

In 1999, 48 such cases of police torture were reported to the JPMC as compared to only ten in 1998.

FIREARMS CASES: Firearm cases also increased during the year as 392 such cases were reported at the hospital compared to 280 during 2000.

In 1999 and 1998, 283 and 393 cases of firearms were reported at the hospital respectively.

Similarly, the assault cases of hard, blunt and sharp types also showed an increase to 5493 and 599 respectively from 4836 and 500 of the year 2000.

INTOXICATION CASES: In the head of intoxication, 385 alcohol-related cases were reported at the hospital as compared to 332 in year 2000.

EXPLOSIVES: In 1999 and 1998, 263 and 306 alcohol-related cases were reported at the hospital.

On a brighter note, the cases of injured through explosives declined in the year 2001 to 30 as compared to 40 of the year 2000.

In 1998, 581 such explosives-related cases were reported at the hospital.

Over all, as many as 9455 medico-legal cases of various nature including, accidents, sexual assaults and intoxication were brought to the medico-legal section of the hospital during 2001. During 2000, 8586 such cases had been reported.

In the years 1999 and 1998, the number of such cases was 7368 and 6852 respectively.

On the other hand, the number of post-mortem examinations were carried out at the hospital showed a gradual decline during the last four years.

In 2001, 651 autopsies were performed as compared to 603 in the year 2000. In 1999, 681 such cases were performed while in 1998, 847 post-mortem examinations were conducted at the hospital, the statistics showed.