Odisha registers marginal rise in overall crime in 2017

Odisha has registered a marginal increase in overall crime during 2017 with 1,03,866 cases registered during 2017 against 1,03,602 cases in 2016.

Of the total, 87,297 cases registered under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), charge sheets were filed in 70,045 cases, according to a White Paper tabled by the home department in the Assembly yesterday.

The state, however, witnessed a rise in rape cases in 2017. The number of rape cases registered in the year 2017 was 2,221 against 2,144 cases in the previous year. Of the 2221 rape cases, the police has been able to file charge sheet in 1401 cases, it said.

Besides 2221 cases of rape, it said the total cases registered in 2017 include 1267 murders, 9083 thefts, 2407 rioting and 534 dacoities.

There has been a fall in murder cases in Odisha during 2017 with 1,267 murder cases registered as against 1328 the year before. Charge sheets were filed in 643 cases.

The state has also witnessed 17 cases of communal tension during 2017 and most cases of law and order situation arising out of protests and agitations over various local issues raised by the opposition political parties and other fronts were peacefully tackled.

Stating that the overall law and order situation in the state remain by and large peaceful, the report said that the police has been forced to open fire at least for seven times to maintain order.

Though 2017 did not witnessed any terrorist activities, 52 Naxal related violence were reported from several parts of the state.

It said that the Naxal situation continued to remain a matter of concern in eight districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Angul, Bolangir and Bargarh.

There have been no report of any Naxal activities in five districts like Gajapati, Jajpur, Nabarangpur, Mayurbhanj and Dhenkanal district last year, it said adding that the left wing extremism remained under control in the districts of Nuapada, Boudh, Nayagarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Sundergarh.

While seven Maoists were killed in Odisha during 2017, 35 Naxal members had been arrested. Twenty seven Maoists surrendered before the police in 2017, it said.

The security personnel seized 16 guns, 23 explosives and a large number of ammunition during search and combing operation in 2017, it said.