Lahore, March 15 (IANS): In the first two months of 2020, 73 rape cases have been reported in Lahore, including five gang-rapes, according to a police record.

As per police record, 10 cases of gang-rape were registered in 2019 while the number for the first two months of this year is five, reports The Express Tribune.

Of the 10 cases registered last year, the police arrested 28 accused after investigation.

Of the five gang-rape cases registered this year, the accused were charged in two cases, one case was dismissed, while the other two cases are under investigation.

Investigation police arrested seven suspects involved in these cases. The accused were charged in 22 rape cases after completion of investigation, while three cases were dropped.

SSP Investigation Zeeshan Asghar said that there are 43 cases under investigation so far this year. Asghar said police have arrested 44 accused in the cases reported in two months.

Efforts were underway to arrest the remaining suspects, who will soon be traced and arrested, he said.

As per the statistics of NGOs working on women's rights, reports of 2,937 cases of rape were filed in 2018, The Express Tribune reported.

In 2019, more than 3,500 cases of sexual abuse were reported.