Patna, May 31 (IANS): Crime against women has witnessed a decline in Bihar with 317 rape and gang-rape cases being registered in the first quarter of the year against 357 in the corresponding period of last year, as per data released by state police.

According to official spokesperson of Bihar police, the figure is 11.2 per cent lesser than the previous year.

Notably, the state is otherwise seeing a spurt in criminal incidents, says the data released on Monday evening.

Cases of molestation also reduced by 34.3 per cent between January 1 and March 31 this year.

"We have registered 92 cases in the first three months of this year against 140 molestation cases in the corresponding period of last year," the official said.

Even the dowry cases have reported a fall by 10.04 per cent.

The department had registered 846 cases in the first quarter of 2021 in different police stations of the state, while the number has reduced to 763 in the corresponding period of this year, the official said.