The gravity of the situation came to the fore after the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) recently published its report.
The report claims on average per day over 15 people are ending their lives. According to the recently published accidental deaths and suicides in India-2021 report of the NCRB, a total of 5,651 persons in Odisha ended their lives in 2021. In 2020, the number stood at 5,546.
Of the total 5,651 suicidal cases reported in 2021, more males than females took the extreme step. While a total of 4,412 males ended their lives in 2021, the number of females who killed self was 1,239.
If the reasons behind such cases are taken into consideration, a total of 4,033 persons ended their lives due to family problems, 135 due to failure in examinations, 134 because of marriage-related problems, 132 over love affairs, and 13 persons killed selves over extra-marital affairs.
In Bhubaneswar alone, 310 persons committed suicide in 2020 and the number slightly dipped in 2021. It was 282.
According to social activist Sunita Tripathi, social media has a role in it. “We are coming across the incidents that adolescents are wasting their parents’ money on games and they, out of fear, are forced to take the extreme step,” she said.
Dr Subhendra Narayan Mishra, a psychiatrist, said, “If someone is found to have been writing negative thoughts on social media platforms and not associating with others, and if they are found getting irritated without any valid reasons, immediately consult a psychiatrist, psychiatrist social worker or clinical psychologist.”
When asked, HOD, psychology department, Fakir Mohan University, Balasore said, “Parents are not giving enough time to their children. As a result, they live in a virtual world. This is one of the reasons.”
If the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is anything to go by, on an average, 15 persons commit suicide every day. According to the recently published accidental deaths and suicides in India-2021 report of the NCRB, a total of 5,546 persons ended their lives in 2020. In 2021, the number was 5,651 which is a two per cent increase from the previous year.
Of the total 5,651 suicidal cases, the number of males is way more than the number of females. In 2021, while a total of 1,239 females committed suicide, 4,412 males ended their lives.
Such a disturbing tendency has become a serious cause of concern, leaving doctors, psychologists, thinkers and political leaders to put their brains together to trace the cause.
Noted psychiatrist Dr Samrat Kar ascribes it to one or the other mental problems.
“Students and youths take the extreme step when they can’t find a way to get out of the mental stress or problems. In past, they were able to stand against such a situation. Now, they lack in such quality,” said Dr Kar.
“Why is the present generation incapable of dealing with the problems? The answer to this question lies in our family structure. Earlier, they would live in joint families having grandparents, paternal uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters. In case of any problem, they would have someone to discuss with and get suggestions or solace,” he added.
“The time has changed. The joint family system has become a thing of the past. The youths have more social media friends than real ones. So they can’t get someone to share their problems with. A problem shared is a problem halved. The mental stress becomes half when shared,” opined Dr Kar.
Saying about the problems the students are passing through, he said, “The students are handling a lot of pressure for which their parents have to take the blame. Upon comparison, they always put pressure on them to perform better.”
When asked about the role of friends and relatives of a mentally-stressed person, Dr Kar said, “How can we know that a person is mentally stressed? He or she will remain sad, stop talking to others and start to feel that s/he has more problems and sufferings than others. Then the role of friends and relatives comes into the scene.”
“On this Teachers’ Day, I would like to say that teachers too have a role in relieving the stress level in a student. Nowadays, instead of parents, teachers are bringing their students to us, complaining about some abrupt changes in their behaviour. Since students spend more time with teachers, they can easily identify the changes in them,” observed Dr Kar.
“In order to manage their stress level successfully, I would like to advise students to find time to do some yoga, pranayams, take a break from study and go around the nearby garden. This way they can remain stress-free,” maintained Dr Kar.
Out of the total 398 vigilance cases registered across the nation, Odisha Vigilance registered 92 cases, which is 23 percent of the total cases registered in the country. Similarly, the punishment rate is 42.5 percent.
In 2021, as many as 12 government servants lost their jobs for accumulating assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
“In the year 2021, Odisha Vigilance has performed well at the national level. Odisha Vigilance has been placed at the top of the list in detecting and registering disproportionate assets. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been placed on second and third positions respectively,” said SP, Cuttack Vigilance Cell M Radhakrishnan.
“Similarly, in detection and registration of criminal misconduct and misappropriation cases, Odisha stands second, next to Tamil Nadu. In government servants losing jobs to their accumulation of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, Odisha has also been placed at the second,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Opposition launched a scathing attack on the government over scores of corruption allegations against government babus and employees.
It has been alleged that action has not been taken against many officers who are caught in the Vigilance net.
“There is not a single office which is free from bribe. When officers are caught red-handed, they are regarded as Vigilance cases. But there are so many corruptions going unreported. Despite the Chief Minister’s warning, corruption cases are on the rise in the State. Officers are not obeying him,” said BJP spokesperson Surath Biswal.
“Odisha Vigilance has been placed at the top of the list in detecting and registering disproportionate assets cases. From this, one thing is clear that the State is also number one in corruption. The government should realize it,” said Congress spokesperson Nishikanta Mishra.
In this regard, former Odisha DGP Sanjeev Marik said, “The corruption is in the system. Taking PC has become a common practice. At the same time, our State is on fourth or fifth in conviction rate. So, conviction rate should be increased.”
As per the NCRB data released recently, Odisha tops the list of states where women have been targeted through cyber pornography and morphing.
Out of the 2597 cases registered in India in 2021, the state recorded 301 cases of cyber pornography and 264 morphing cases, the highest among all states in the country.
In the initial stage, the criminals lure unsuspecting women in the pretext of good job offer or marriage proposal and then blackmail them through social media.
While some blame poor policing for the infamy Odisha has earned over the years, some say lack of awareness has resulted in spiralling of such high number of cases.
Shedding more light on the issue, cyber expert Prashant Sahu told OTV, “Anti-social elements steal photos of women from social media after developing relationships with them online. Then they make those viral in the same social media platforms in a bid to blackmail them.”
“Social media is a medium. We really cannot blame it. That is why women need to be more careful on internet and be aware of their surroundings,” Sahu added.
Former Police DG, Sanjeev Marik said, “The society needs to get matured in this regard. When it comes to morphed pictures of women, our society never takes it as a crime. They just start to blame the victim. The crimes against women will continue unabated until the stigma is gone.”
“The police needs to be more proactive and take these cases seriously,” Marik added.
Echoing the same concern, social activist Rutuparna Mohanty said, “There needs to be a massive awareness drive in block level to make the women understand the perils of internet and how the fraudsters are prowling."
“Children need to be aware in their schools and family too,” she said. While 1931 cyber crime cases were registered in Odisha in 2020, it rose to 2037 in 2021. However, the most startling revelation that the NCRB made, not a single accused was put behind bars by Odisha police between 2018 and 2021.
According to a latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 1,64,033 people have committed suicides in 2021 across the country.
Out of total 1,18,979 male suicides, the maximum suicides were committed by daily wage earners (37,751) followed by self-employed persons (18,803) and unemployed persons (11,724), the report said.
A total of 45,026 females committed suicide during this period in the country.
A total of 10,881 persons involved in the farming sector consisting of 5,318 farmers and cultivators and 5,563 agricultural labourers have committed suicides during 2021, accounting for 6.6 per cent of total suicide victims in the country.
Out of 5,318 farmer and cultivator suicides, a total of 5,107 were males and 211 were females.
Majority of victims engaged in the farming sector were reported in Maharashtra (37.3 per cent), Karnataka (19.9 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (9.8 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (6.2 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (5.5 per cent).
Out of 5,563 suicides committed by agricultural labourers during 2021, 5,121 were males and 442 were females.
Certain States and Union Territories namely, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry reported zero suicides of farmers and cultivators as well as agriculture labourers.
Government servants accounted for 1.2 per cent (1,898) as compared to 7.0 per cent (11,431) from Private Sector Enterprises out of 1,64,033 of total victims.
Employees from Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) formed 1.5 per cent (2,541), whereas students and unemployed victims accounted for 8.0 per cent (13,089 victims) and 8.4 per cent (13,714 victims) of total suicides respectively.
Self-employed category accounted for 12.3 per cent of total suicide victims (20,231 out of 1,64,033).
A total of 64.2 per cent (1,05,242) of suicide victims in 2021 were having annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh. 31.6 per cent (51,812) of suicide victims belong to annual income group of Rs 1 lakh to less than Rs 5 lakh.
The state also saw a huge spike in cases of rape, abduction or cruelty by husband and his relatives in 2021, according the recently-published ‘Crime in India 2021’ report of the NCRB.
The crime rate per 1 lakh of the women population in the state rose to 137.8 in comparison to 112.9 in 2020, the third highest in the country after Assam and Delhi, it stated.
As many as 31,352 cases of crime against women were registered in the state in 2021 under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), special and local laws. It was 25,489 in 2020 and 23,183 in 2020, the NCRB report said.
There were 14,891 victims of assault with intent to outrage modesty, the highest in the country with a staggering crime rate of 65.3 and a rise of 17.8 per cent as compared to 2020.
Twelve women were victims of murder with rape or gang rape. Cases under Section 376 (rape) of the IPC rose by 20.23 per cent to 1,456. The state registered 151 attempt-to-rape incidents and 838 cases of insult to modesty of women.
A total of 2,496 cases were lodged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act where the victims were girls, an increase of 13.35 per cent.
The state recorded the highest number of 565 cases of cyber crimes against women by publishing or transmitting of sexually explicit materials or blackmailing, defamation, morphing and fake profile.
Cases of cruelty by husband or his relatives shot up 33.62 per cent to 4,889 in the second successive year of rising domestic violence cases amid a lockdown over the second coronavirus wave.
Kidnapping and abduction of women increased by 37.1 per cent as it jumped to 5,175 cases. The rate of crime is the third highest after Assam and Delhi. Ninety-six women were victims of human trafficking.
Odisha registered 293 dowry deaths last year, while 465 cases were lodged under the Dowry Prohibition Act. Twenty-seven cases were lodged under abetment to suicide, while there were three victims of acid attack.
The state also fared poorly in the court disposal of cases related to crimes against women.
The number of the women-related cases pending trial was 98.6 per cent, the highest in the country. The conviction rate was only 8.3 per cent, far below the national average of 26.6.
As per the report by the (NCRB), 15 persons on average are committing suicide every day in the State.
While family issue has forced several people to take the extreme step, many students have committed suicide over failed love affairs and marriage issues. The suicide numbers last year suggest a substantial rise.
Meanwhile, the report also suggests a rise in violence against women in Odisha. The rise in molestation and rape cases is a major concern for the State. As many as 14,853 rape and molestation cases were registered during the period which happens to be the most number of cases in the country.
Moreover, 565 cyber crime cases related to women violence were filed at various police stations in Odisha. Increasing kidnapping cases of babies across the State are also a matter of concern.
The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) statistics has suggested that 4,582 cases of suicide were reported in the State during 2019 which rose to 5,569 the next year. The year 2020 alone recorded a 21 per cent rise in suicides in the State over the previous year.
Mental health turned into a huge challenge post-pandemic period. Experts suggest that mental health needs to get more attention in the days to come.
It shows that Rajasthan reported the highest number of rape cases at 5,310 and 6,337 in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Madhya Pradesh came a distant second in terms of rape cases in 2020 and 2021 with nearly same numbers. In 2020 there were 2,339 cases while in 2021 it rose to 2,947 cases.
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Assam are the five states where most of the rape cases took place in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
The data released by NCRB shows that in 2021, 6,337 rape cases were reported from Rajasthan which indicated that it became the worse state to live for women.
In 2021, Rajasthan has the highest number of rape cases, Madhya Pradesh comes a distant second with 2,947 rape cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 2,845 rape cases and Maharashtra with 2,496 cases. Assam is the fifth state where 1,733 rape cases were reported making it unsafe for women.
The national capital reported 1,250 rape cases in 2021 which is higher than the 2020 data. In 2020, there were 997 rape cases in Delhi.
In 2020, there were 5,310 rape cases in Rajasthan, 2,769 cases in Uttar Pradesh, 2,339 in Madhya Pradesh, 2,061 in Maharashtra and 1,657 in Assam.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NCRB didn't release its data for last two years. Now it has come out with a complied data.
As per police reports, two cases of gangrapes registered in the Mayurbhanj district. The age group of women affected ranged from a 50-yr old to a teenager. While the gangrape of a 50-yr woman (where a shade of Nirbhaya brutality repeated) took place in an area adjacent to Jharkhand, the teenager victim belongs to a place neighbouring Balasore district. The geographical spread shows the extent of women crime in Mayurbhanj.
Moreover, police reports show in the second gang-rape case involving a teenage girl, the accused and victim belong to the same village and they have chased the girl to commit the crime.
Mayurbhanj - The Rape Capital Of Odisha
For the last over a decade, the northern tribal district of the State had maintained the dubious distinction of being the State's rape capital. On average, the district reported at least 3 rapes every 5 days.
As per the data tabled by Minister of State (Home) Dibyashankar Mishra, the district has recorded 145 rape cases during the first six months of 2021 as against 240 cases, including 102 child rapes registered under POCSO, in the full year of 2020.
The district has earned a sort of notoriety in crime against women. The police have been registering cases like the circulation of sexual assaults or disrobing MMS clips in the district. Reports show local organised gangs behind the spurt in crime against women in the district, as investigations had nailed their role in the circulation of obscene videos.
With the rape crime clock keeps ticking in the district, an analysis of the data also shows Mayurbhanj had a poor conviction rate of around 11 per cent.
The bottom line here it seems is the lethal combo of active involvement of local organised gangs in the crime and poor conviction rate have emboldened the perpetrators in the district.
Rape Scenario In Odisha
As per the data tabled in Odisha Assembly, the State had recorded a high of 1563 rapes in the first 6-months of 2021 as against 1212 in the corresponding period in 2020. This shows a sharp spike in rape cases in the State in 2021.
However, the total rape cases reported in the State in the pandemic year of 2020 had been 2,984, including 1629 child rapes under POCSO Act.
Moreover, as per the recently released NCRB report, in gang rapes, Odisha occupies the 5th rank among 28 states in the country. The number of gang rape victims in the State zoomed to 20 in 2020 from 3 in 2019. Moreover, it is the only state to mark a deterioration.
Rajasthan, for the second year running, has registered the highest number of rape and attempt to rape cases, as per data released by the NCRB for 2020. Also, the data released by CMIE says that the state's urban women unemployment rate has touched 92.1 per cent.
The NCRB confirmed that Jaipur is next to New Delhi which registered 967 cases, by registering 409 rape cases in 2020. However, its crime rate for rape is 28.1 which is more than double of Delhi city, (12.8) rape cases per lakh population.
Rajasthan has a crime rate of 90.5 per lakh population for crime against women which is calculated by adding crimes registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL).
The desert state is in the top list when it comes to absolute numbers for crimes against women, registering 34,535 cases. This is next to Uttar Pradesh at 49,385 and West Bengal at 36,439.
Rajasthan yet again tops the list when it comes to IPC section 376 (rape), with an incidence (FIRs registered) counting to 5,310 victims.
Rajasthan further remains on top for attempt to commit rape (Sec 376/511 IPC) too with an incidence of 965.
Besides increasing crime against women, Rajasthan has the lowest female literacy rate which is 57.6 per cent according to the National Statistical Report of 2017-18.
The effect of the poor literacy rate is reflected in the unemployment data where there is a difference of more than 40 per cent in the male and female unemployment rate in Rajasthan.
While the male unemployment rate in the state is just 21.20 per cent, the female rate is 65.31 per cent.
What is an interesting aspect is that the urban women who are considered to be more educated are more unemployed than the rural women.
The urban women unemployment rate is 92.1 per cent while the unemployment rate of rural women in the state is 54.8 per cent.
Women and child minister Mamta Bhupesh did not take the call when IANS tried to contact her in this regard.
Also, the women commission chairperson's post has been lying vacant ever since the formation of the Congress government, so half of the population of Rajasthan has been reeling under the reign of terror with nowhere to go and speak about, said Nimisha Gaur, BJP spokesperson.
Even though the Congress itself is being led by a woman, Sonia Gandhi, never ever has any statement been issued even after watching the horrific crime incidents being reported against women, she added.
Surprisingly, Mamta Bhupesh has also been silent all these years even after reading about the terrible stories of crime reported against women. This is more like bringing back the Mughal era where women were forced to confine themselves within their houses by terrorising them and giving them least opportunities to show their talent, she added.
Officials from the Congress camp also expressed their unhappiness with the working of women and child minister Bhupesh.
"We have raised the issue of her incompetent behaviour with Ajay Maken and there are chances that she will be replaced by a dynamic person who raises the issues of women," they said.
Meanwhile Nimisha added, "Rajasthan women have scripted histories and are known for their sacrifice, intelligence and entrepreneur nature. However, the present plight of women is pitiable. Recently, the Rajasthan High Court issued a notice to the state government and called for a reply after the posts of chairperson and members remained vacant for the last two years in the Rajasthan Women's Commission. The National Human Rights Commission has also given instructions to the state government to fill the vacant posts of the Women's Commission, but the government is constantly neglecting the Women's Commission," she said.
Other studies also show Odisha lagging behind. The recently released Comprehensive National Nutritional Survey (CNNS) 2016-18 places Odisha among the 5 poorest states in India with 42% of people in the poorest category. The posh hotels, apartments and malls of big cities like Bhubaneswar are enjoyed by only 6% of the population. A world away are poverty-stricken districts like Malkangiri, Koraput or Nuapada.
Odisha definitely has progressed since Independence. But the state has continued to lag behind the rest of India and the world. Vimaljit Dua is happy to see Bhubaneswar change from a gloomy and backward place in the 1970s to a prosperous city today. She came to Bhubaneswar from Chandigarh when she helped to found the Ruchika School in 1978. She observed the moroseness and lack of energy among the mothers and teachers compared to Chandigarh. Even little children focused only on studies. They would not run and play outside as much. The school encouraged playing along with studies. This simple change to a more balanced approach made the children happier.
When I was a schoolgirl in Delhi, our teacher discussed how starving parents sold their children for food in Kalahandi, the poorest region of India. Since Independence, big leaders have visited, launched election campaigns and sanctioned funds for development. Why then, are the local people still so poor? Kalahandi is a sad example of how Odisha has lagged behind the rest of India.
In many regions of Odisha, healthcare facilities are difficult to reach. The government-run Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) lack trained staff, medicines and equipment. The patients have to travel hundreds of kilometres to reach big hospitals in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Often ambulances are difficult to get.
The poor health of young children and women is a cause of grave concern. Sickly mothers struggling to raise malnourished and stunted children leads to misery for present and future generations. UNICEF cites Odisha as having the highest newborn mortality rate in India.
Only 8.9% children aged 6-23 months get appropriate nutrition. Around 51% of women in the 15-49 years age group and 44.6% children between 6 and 59 months are anaemic in the state. Food and income security programs like Targeted Public Distribution Program (TPDS), ICDS Supplementary nutrition program and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) program and National Rural Employment Guarantee Program have not yet eradicated hunger.
Mental health issues in Odisha raise concerns. Odisha recorded the most child pornography cases in India in 2018, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. Odisha also took the lead with 1,427 cases of child rape registered. Dr Anuradha Mahapatra of Manam Foundation emphasizes the need for counselling and professional care for mentally disturbed people. She feels many people do not care for their own mental and physical health in a disciplined way. She has noticed a serious sense of entitlement in many young boys who come for counselling. Lack of awareness on sex and related issues brings huge repression within families, she says.
Leaders and policy experts have much to work upon. Meanwhile, even people like us can make a difference. It is time for us to realize that life is more than eating, sleeping and shopping. Money and property alone do not decide our worth. Money alone is not the key to happiness. The United States ranks at 19th place for happiness, while people in less prosperous and moneyed countries rank higher in the World Happiness Report. The idea of charity and community service must take deeper roots in our own hearts and minds. We need to look beyond our narrow self-interest and encourage others to improve and excel. We must realize that variety of interests and selfless service to others makes our own lives richer and happier.
(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are the author’s own and have nothing to do with OTV’s charter or views. OTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. The author can be reached at monideepawrites@gmail.com.)
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Bolangir: A woman was brutally attacked by a youth after she resisted his rape attempt at Juba village under Belpada police limits in Bolangir district. The NCRB report-2016 released last week had placed Odisha in one of the top rankers on crimes against women.
As per the complaint, when the woman had gone to a nearby field to attend nature’s call, one Ashok Tandi allegedly attempted to rape her. When she resisted and tried to escape, the youth started hitting her with a stone in a bid to kill her. The woman sustained critical injuries on her head and face. She was later rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, police have arrested the accused and are interrogating him. Patnagarh SDPO Seshadev Bariha said accused Ashok would be forwarded to court after his medical examination.
https://youtu.be/EhWaDdAgd3o
While the rate of such case cases in every one lakh female population is 81.9 per cent, in the year, the State’s share in the category in all-India total stands at 5.2%.
Delhi tops the list with 17,104 cases and is followed by Assam (23,258) and Telengana (15,135).
Besides, in the year Odisha has recorded 2,251 cases when it comes to ‘worst rates/ numbers of incidents. The rate of such incidents is 10.8 per one lakh female population.
Under the category of “assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty”, 2015 saw 84,222 cases being registered across the country as against 82,235 in 2014. The category includes offences such as sexual harassment, assault or use of criminal force to women with intent to disrobe, voyeurism, and stalking.
Kidnapping and abduction of women also increased in 2015 — to 59,277 cases from 57,311 in 2014.
Forcing a woman into marriage continues to be the chief reason to kidnap her. According to the data, in 2015, close to 54% of all abductions of women were carried out to force them into marriage. In 2014 too, this reason was behind over 50% of all kidnappings of women.
The national capital has got the dubious distinction of topping the list in cases of murder, kidnapping and abduction, juveniles in conflict and economic offences.
Delhi reported 33 per cent (13,803 cases out of total 41,761 cases in 19 cities) of total crimes against women followed by Mumbai at 12.3 per cent (5,128 cases) last year among the 19 cities with population above two million.
The national capital reported nearly 40 per cent of rape cases and nearly 29 per cent of each of cruelty by husband and his relatives and dowry deaths, the NCRB data said.
Delhi accounted for 38.8 per cent of total IPC crime reported in 19 cities followed by Bengaluru (8.9 per cent) and Mumbai 7.7 per cent.
The national capital recorded the highest crime rate 182.1 compared to the national average of 77.2.
Chennai has reported highest number of cases of Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes, accounting for 32.9 per cent of total reported cases among the 19 cities, followed by Kochi (12.9 per cent) and Surat (12.6 per cent) during 2016.
Delhi reported the highest number of kidnapping and abduction - 5,453 cases (48.3 per cent) followed by Mumbai with 1,876 cases (16.6 per cent) and Bengaluru 879 cases 7.8 per cent during 2016.
The city reported highest number of murder - 479 out of 2,194 cases- (21.8 per cent) followed by Bengaluru 10.4 per cent (229 cases) and Patna 8.9 per cent (195 cases).
Highest number of cases at 35.6 per cent (2,368 cases out of 6,645) of juveniles in conflict with law were reported in Delhi among the 19 cities during 2016.
Delhi has reported the maximum number of cases under economic offences 5,942 cases (19.3 per cent) followed by Jaipur (4,742 cases) and Mumbai (4,191 cases) accounting for 15.4 per cent and 13.6 per cent respectively during 2016.
In cyber crimes, Mumbai reported the highest number of cases - 980 (23.5 per cent) out of 4,172 cases in 19 major cities in 2016.
What is nagging for the State is Odisha has witnessed nearly 4 murder crimes every day during the period of January - May 2019. There seems no let-up in the murder crime in 2019, as the State had also recorded nearly 4 murders everyday in the year 2018.
According to the data available with the State Police, Odisha had registered around 563 murders in January to May 2019. The State had recorded 1,378 murder crimes in 2018. It has been observed that the murder crime in Odisha has been on the ascent after a decline in 2016-17.
An analysis shows the crime rate of murders in Odisha in 2018 and 2019 (Jan-May) remained at over 2.9. The rate was around 3 in 2016. This shows the murder crime rate in Odisha has almost remained stagnant over the years.
As per NCRB 2016 report, Odisha figured at 8th in the crime rate of murders in the country and was ranked at 10th in the incidence of murder crimes registered.
The trail of murder crime stats above show how grave the enormity is in the State.
Why the State is keeping stuck to such a dubious distinction nationally? The nagging factor behind the rise in violent crimes in the State has been delay in completion of Preliminary inquiry (PI), filing of charge sheets and the resultant lower conviction rate.
Take the instance of 2018. Police records reveal filing of charge sheets in mere 47 per cent of murder crimes. Even preliminary inquiry (PI) is conducted in mere 48 per cent of murder crimes registered in the year.
When the total murder crime registered in the State was 1,378 in 2018, the total PIs done in the year stood at 657 and charge-sheets were filed in only 645 cases.
The scenario looks worse in 2019. As per the police data available, PIs were completed in 322 of a total of 337 murders registered during January - March 2019. But charge-sheets were filed in mere 15 murder cases. The charge-sheeting rate has tumbled down to mere 4.45 per cent.
The direct bearing is seen in the conviction rate under murder crimes in the State. Last year the conviction rate was below 25 per cent, much lower than the national average of around 50 per cent.
The conviction rate of below 25 per cent means nearly 75 accused in every 100 cases filed have got acquittals from the court of law.
Senior lawyers blame the high acquittal rate to delay in PIs and framing of charge-sheets in the State.
The much-awaited data, which was delayed more than one year, for the crimes registered in 2017 revealed that the number of murder cases has declined 5.9 percent with 28,653 cases of killings registered in the year, down from 30,450 in 2016.
As per the data, "disputes" (7,898 cases) were the motive in the maximum number of murder cases, followed by "personal vendetta or enmity" (4,660) and "gain" (2,103).
There was, however, a nine per cent increase in kidnapping and abduction cases in 2017, with 95,893 cases registered against 88,008 in 2016, the NCRB data said.
As per the data, a total of 1,00,555 (23,814 male and 76,741 female) victims were reported kidnapped or abducted, out of which 56,622 (14,296 male and 42,326 female) victims were children and 43,933 (9,518 male and 34,415 female) victims were adults during 2017.
The NCRB data showed 9,89,071 cases of offences affecting the human body, including 1,42,794 cases of death by negligence and 86,001 of assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty, were registered.
Fraudulent transactions and sexual exploitation were the most reported cyber crimes in India in 2017, according to the NCRB. The report said that cyber frauds led the number of reported cyber crimes by a large margin, accounting for a total of 12,213 individual reports across all states and union territories in India. The second most individually reported cases of cyber crime came in the form of online sexual exploitation and harassment, which were 1,460, as per India's official cyber crime records for 2017.
In terms of the topographic distribution of cyber crime reports, Uttar Pradesh has been accounted as the state that received the highest number of cyber crimes in 2017, with 4,971 out of the 21,796 accounted cases of cyber crime. Maharashtra ranked the second highest with 3,604 counts of reported online crime, while Karnataka ranked third with 3,174 cases.
In the northeast, Assam recorded sharply higher number of cyber crimes in comparison to other states, with a total of 1,120 reported cases in 2017.
Sexual exploitation and personal revenge have been noted as the two most focused motives behind cyber attacks in Assam, throwing interesting insight into how the nature of cyber crime differs among states.
Among the other most affected states, frauds and extortion were the biggest motives behind attacks in UP, while sexual exploits and frauds were the biggest causes of attacks in Maharashtra.
Alongside the uniform aspect of frauds in each state, "causing disrepute" has been noted as the second most reported form of cyber attacks in Karnataka in 2017.
The NCRB, under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and special and local laws in the country.
According to the NCRB data for 2017, Assam recorded the highest crime rate of 143 in the country in 2017. While Odisha and Telangana recorded the second-highest crime rate of 94 each, followed by Haryana (88) and Rajasthan. Crime rate is offences registered per one lakh people.
As many as 3,59,849 cases of crime against women were registered across the country in 2017, continuing the upward trend for the third consecutive year, the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data released on Monday showed.
In 2015, 3,29,243 cases of crimes against women were registered and 3,38,954 cases were registered in 2016.
The cases categorised as crimes against women include murder, rape, dowry death, suicide abetment, acid attack, cruelty against women and kidnapping, etc.
According to the NCRB data for 2017, which was released after a delay of more than a year, the maximum cases were registered in Uttar Pradesh (56,011) -- the country's most populated state.
Maharashtra recorded the second-highest number of crimes against women with 31,979 cases, followed by 30,992 in West Bengal, 29,778 in Madhya Pradesh, 25,993 in Rajasthan and 23,082 in Assam, the data said.
Delhi, however, saw a decline in crimes against women for the third straight year.
As many as 13,076 FIRs were registered in 2017, down from 15,310 in 2016 and 17,222 in 2015, the NCRB report said.
Eight states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura -- registered crimes against women only in three digits, with not even one per cent contribution to the all-India figures, according to the NCRB data.
The NCRB, under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and special and local laws in the country.
(With PTI inputs)
All posturing by the powers that be in the State about Odisha being a safe place for women fell like nine pins, when the Crime in India - 2017 report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released Monday brings to glare the murkier statistics.
And this is seemingly a challenge for both the political executive and the State police. Because, you name any sections under the IPC crime against women, the sad fact is, the State ranks high in all lists.
And the devil lies more in the details.
Disrobing : In using criminal force on women with an intent to disrobe (Sections 354 B IPC), Odisha topped the country with a massive 2,457 cases and the crime rate stood astonishingly high at 11.1. The curious fact here is Odisha is maintaining this dubious 'crown' since year 2014. And the political and police authorities seemingly have failed to eliminate the rot. Lest, the cases would not have moved up from 1,142 in 2014 to 2,457 in 2017.
Outraging Modesty: In assault on women with an intent to outrage her modesty (under sec 354 IPC), Odisha registered a whopping 9,132 incidents with an astronomical crime rate of 42.9, the dubious topper in the country. In absolute numbers, Odisha ranked at number 4 in the country.
Sexual Harrassment: Odisha had recorded 1,134 incidents of sexual harassment with a high crime rate of 5.3, the second highest in the country. In absolute numbers, the State stood number 4 in the country. And the big fact is such gory acts were perpetuated mostly on roads or public places and shelter homes. In sexual harassment in shelter homes, Odisha is almost 3rd in the country after UP, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Voyeurism & Stalking: The State had registered a high of 257 stalking cases and 64 voyeurism (Means watching, capturing or disseminating image of a woman engaged in a private act in circumstances where she would usually have the expectation of not being observed either by the perpetrator or by any other person at the behest of the perpetrator) cases. The State figured among the dubious-10 at 7th and 8th slots, respectively.
Dowry Deaths: Odisha had registered a total of 326 dowry deaths in 2017. The State is ranked 6th in the evil chart nationally led by UP.
Rapes: Odisha saw a massive 2,070 rape cases in 2017, almost six rapes a day. With a high crime rate of 9.7, the State stood at 5th in the infamy list led by Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Kerala.
Why the crime rate is important? It shows total crimes vis-a-vis the population of the targeted group (here Women). The simple explanation is nearly 10 women, including minor girl children, per 1 lakh female population in Odisha become victim of the ghastly crime of rape. The national average of mere five tells the tale of enormity.
Why the vicious crime cycle perpetuates in Odisha? Acquittals in an overwhelming 4,669 cases and conviction in mere 372. The conviction rate in crime against women is mere 7.4 per cent in Odisha - fifth lowest in country. And pendency rate is 94.7 per cent.
Such explosive facts have come up in the Crime in India - 2017 report released on Monday. Odisha with a total of 2,407 riots ranked sixth in the country in 2017.
The prevailing home-truths are seemingly a headache for the State government, when it is organising grand gala events like 'Make in Odisha' to lure investments. On the contrary, Odisha topped the chart of industrial riots in the country.
Industrial riots mean mobs resorting to violence in instances pertaining to industrial disputes in the State. As per the NCRB report, Odisha had recorded 81 such incidents in 2017. All other states in the country had recorded such riot cases below 20.
And when political intolerance has been the buzzword in the country, the delirious fact was Odisha ranked second in the country in political riots. Political riots mean violent unrest over a political cause. Generally, it is seen as agitations launched by political parties that take a riotous hue.
As per the report, Odisha with 210 political riots is behind Kerala (980 cases).
An analysis showed that Gujarat (where the Patel agitation for reservation turned into a political showdown), Tripura (where BJP and then ruling Left government were face-to-face) and Maharashtra (where many agitations were then held for demanding reservations and on many other issues with open and tacit political support) have recorded majority of the political riots in the country.
Significantly, Odisha saw the height of political triggered violence in 2017, when ‘eggs’ dominated the State politics. Both ruling and Opposition used this 'egg weapon' to harm their opponents. And, even, ruling BJD workers had then attacked their rivals.
Another big eye-opening fact is Odisha recorded the third highest communal riots in the country in 2017, reveals NCRB report. The State with 91 communal/religious riots finished third after Bihar and Karnataka.
The significant mention here is Bhadrak had witnessed the worst riots in year 2017. And reports of involvement of high ranking ruling party leaders had then snowballed into a big issue, which forced CM Naveen Patnaik to reach the ground zero to assuage the fanned flames then.
However, the good part of the NCRB story is Odisha had witnessed only 17 caste riots in 2017 and 11 agrarian riots, despite farmers being at warpath then. This shows how Odisha farmers have resorted to least violence, even when the State government had used all its might to clampdown their numerous protests in 2017.
But the disconcerting fact is spontaneous riots turned a law and order problem for the State. Because, the State witnessed at least 5 such spontaneous riots a day since 2015. Odisha recorded 1,884 such riots in 2017.
Spontaneous riots are the riots that happen at the spur of a moment and the trigger factor varies from road accident to tiff between villagers over a trifle dispute.
Despite this, the glaring fact is Odisha Government seemingly doesn’t deem it fit to set up special purpose police stations to ebb the tide of crime or atrocities against the weaker sections of society.
As per the NCRB report released recently, In 2017, Odisha had registered a high of 2,699 cases under the SC & ST Atrocities Prevention Act 1989. The State stood at 5th in the list led by UP, Bihar, MP and Rajasthan.
However, the twist in the tale is when it comes to conviction under the Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989, Odisha languished at the bottom with conviction in a mere 2.6 per cent of the cases registered.
In contrast, UP that led the chart of crime against SC/ST topped the country in ensuring conviction. The State has recorded conviction in a whopping 71 per cent cases. The trend was noticeable in other high SC/ST crime prone states like Rajasthan and MP. The states had recorded conviction in around 61 and 37 per cent, respectively. Even, Bihar had ensured conviction in 18 per cent cases.
In the neighbourhood, Chhattisgarh had not only registered fewer crimes but also ensured conviction in 32 per cent of the cases.
An analysis shows while UP and Rajasthan have no special purpose police stations for crime against weaker sections, all other states having higher conviction rate have set up such special police stations. For instance, Chhattisgarh has 13 such special purpose police stations for crime against SC/ST.
But Odisha has not a single such special PS, notwithstanding the fact that State police registered around 5 cases every day under the SC Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989 and around two cases every day under ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The rate of crime too is shockingly high at over 25 per cent for SCs and around 5 per cent for STs.
Even, the State Home Department has identified as many as 16 districts as SC/ST atrocity prone areas in the State. Deogarh and Kandhmal have been declared entirely as atrocity prone area. Around 10 per cent of police station areas in the State have been declared as atrocity prone for SCs/STs.
Replying to a query on women safety, MoS Divyashankar Mishra has reeled out such gory statistics. And as per the data, in the first six months (Jan - Jun) of the current calendar year, Odisha has seen registration of 1,149 rape cases. The minor rapes constituted a massive 604 cases or 52 per cent of the total rapes.
The statement further reveals that total number of minor rapes in 2018 were a high of 57 per cent of the total. And as per NCRB 2017 report, minor rapes in Odisha constituted a massive 62 per cent of the total rapes.
In contrast, NCRB data shows, total minor rapes in the year 2012 was a mere 13 per cent of total rape victims. By the year 2015, the number of rape victims below 18 years constituted a whopping 47 per cent of total rape victims in Odisha.
When rapes overall in State showed a rise of around 74 per cent during 2012 – 2018, rapes of girl child shows an elephantine growth of a shocking 645 per cent during the same period.
When child rapes in Odisha didn’t follow the urban-rural divide, is the lack of faster trial and poor conviction of perpetrators proving the major factor behind the high spurt? Statistics speak so.
As per data with State Home Department, the number of cases pending in 2012 was 543. It had grown to over 1,500 in 2015 and the number of rape cases pending for trial stood at over 3000.
Moreover, as per the information provided by MoS Mishra in State Assembly, in year 2018, when only 197 were convicted, 876 got acquitted. The conviction rate is mere 18 per cent. Interestingly, the conviction rate was 23 per cent in 2012.
So, when 82 per cent get acquittals, there is a little chance of the sexual offence cases in the State would ever post a dip.
The bottom line is for powers that be, it's high time to review the current approach. And significantly, when CM Naveen Patnaik recently in State Assembly has made an impassioned plea not to politicise crimes against women, the onus lies with the State government to revamp the state apparatus that deals with the entire gamut of woman safety.
While NCRB claimed Odisha didn't supply 2018 PCA data, Odisha Vigilance in early part of 2019 had released the 2018 report.
The NCRB 2018 report, therefore, has used the 2017 data in case of the above mentioned states, including Odisha.
The mention worthy fact here is in 2017, Odisha had topped the country in cases of criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 (PC Act-1988). This is a section in PC Act that deals with habitually corrupt public servants.
Odisha Vigilance had filed a total of 222 criminal misconduct cases under PCA-1988 in year 2017. The numbers registered under the Section -13 of PCA-1988 hints at how corruption at public places has become an habitual offence.
What is Section - 13 of the PCA -1988? It terms a public servant committing an offence of criminal misconduct when he habitually accepts or obtains or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain from any person for himself or for any other person any gratification other than legal remuneration; or if he dishonestly or fraudulently misappropriates or otherwise converts for his own use any property entrusted to him or under his control as a public servant or allows any other person so to do etc.
As per the Odisha Vigilance report 2018, the total cases filed under PCA stood at 429 vis-a-vis 494 in 2017. This includes 182 Trap cases, 98 DA (Disproportionate Assets) cases and 149 Criminal misconduct cases.
It needs mentioning here that in 2017 Odisha topped the country with highest number of Disproportionate Assets (DA) cases under the PCA-1988. Anti-graft bodies investigate DA cases as per section 13(1) (e) of PCA-1988.
Significantly, higher proportion of Both DA and Criminal misconduct cases convey prevalence of high level of habitual corruption in a State. And In 2017, both - DA & Criminal misconduct - cases constitute over 67 per cent of total PCA cases. The State Vigilance 2018 report shows DA and criminal misconduct cases account for over 57 per cent of the total PCA cases in Odisha.
Significantly, the drop in PCA cases filed in 2018, as per Odisha Vigilance report, has been attributed to lesser DA and criminal misconduct cases. Because, the number of trap cases in 2018 had risen to 182 from 161 in 2017.
An analysis of State Vigilance data further reveals that over 72 per cent of DA cases in Odisha were filed against Class -III and II officials. Babus (Class-I officers) account for a share of mere 20 per cent. And when it comes to DA cases against the netas (politicians), the number displays nil cases.
Why babus and karamcharis have become habitually corrupt in Odisha?
While Odisha Vigilance claimed to have a conviction rate of 51 per cent in 2018 vis-a-vis 47 per cent in 2017, Tamil Nadu had recorded the highest conviction rate of 73 per cent in 2018, shows the NCRB 2018 report.
Moreover, a factor responsible for poor conviction is high pendency at the investigation stage. Though Odisha Vigilance 2018 report was silent on pendency, NCRB report had put the pendency rate for Odisha at a massive 92 per cent in 2017.
It is the first time that these services -- 'Missing Person Search' and 'Generate Vehicle NOC' -- are being launched centrally while such services were being provided through the state-citizen portals so far.
These services can be accessed through 'digitalpolicecitizenservices.gov.in' portal or through a link in the existing 'Digital Police Portal'. Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar presided over the launch of these services.
NCRB Director Ram Phal Pawar, while addressing the gathering, said: "Citizens can search for their missing kin against the national database of recovered unidentified found persons or unidentified dead bodies from their homes. This will hugely benefit relatives of missing persons and save them from running around pillar to post, as all such details including photos are available in Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (NCRB) and will now be accessible to citizens through this portal at their convenience."
In this user-friendly search, a citizen may enter search criteria in the portal and the system will search for it from the available national database across the country and will display the result immediately with photograph and other details, he said.
About Generate Vehicle NOC, the NCRB Director said that it allows citizens to ascertain the status of a vehicle before its second-hand purchase, as to whether it is suspicious or clean from police records. "This search could be made against national database based on vehicle's details. One can generate and download the relevant NOC required by the RTO before the transfer of ownership."
(IANS)
During 2019, a total of 4,37,396 cases of road accidents were reported which left 4,39,262 persons injured and caused 1,54,732 deaths. 38 per cent of victims of road accidents were riders of two-wheelers followed by trucks, lorries, cars and buses which accounted for 14.6, 13.7 and 5.9 per cent of road accident deaths, respectively.
A majority (59.6 per cent) of road accidents were due to overspeeding which caused 86,241 deaths and left 2,71,581 persons injured. Dangerous and careless driving or overtaking contributed to 25.7 per cent of road accidents which led to 42,557 deaths and left 1,06,555 persons injured. Besides, only 2.6 per cent of road accidents were due to poor weather conditions.
59.5 per cent and 40.5 per cent of road accidents were reported in rural areas (2,60,379 cases) and urban areas (1,77,017 cases), respectively.
29.9 per cent (1,30,943 cases out of 4,37,396 cases) of total road accidents were reported near residential areas.
According to NCRB, a total of 4,67,171 traffic accidents were reported during the year comprising 4,37,396 road accidents, 1,788 railway crossing accidents and 27,987 railway accidents. These accidents caused injuries to 4,42,996 persons and 1,81,113 deaths.
According to NCRB, a total of 8,145 deaths in the country were reported due to causes attributable to forces of nature. Out of 8,145 accidental deaths attributable to forces of nature, 35.3 per cent deaths were reported due to lightning, 15.6 per cent deaths due to heat/sunstroke and 11.6 per cent deaths due to floods.
Bihar (400), Madhya Pradesh (400), Jharkhand (334) and Uttar Pradesh (321) were the biggest victims of lightning deaths.
According to NCRB, causes other than forces of nature which have also resulted in accidents or deaths include deliberate or negligent conduct on the part of humans.
A total of 7,01,324 cases were reported in which 4,12,959 persons died and 4,46,284 persons injured. Male-female ratio in fatalities was 80.9 : 19.1.
The major causes of accidental deaths were (i) Traffic Accidents (43.9 per cent), (ii) Sudden Deaths (11.5 per cent), (iii) Drowning (7.9 per cent), (iv) Poisoning (5.1 per cent), (v) Falls (5.1 per cent) and (vi) Accidental Fire (2.6 per cent).
A total of 11,037 cases of fire accidents were reported in the country during 2019 which led to 10,915 deaths and injuries to 441 persons.
Drowning and poisoning caused 32,671 (7.9 per cent) and 21,196 (5.1 per cent) deaths, respectively, during 2019.
A total of 27,987 cases of railway accidents were reported during the year 2019. These railways accidents rendered 3,569 persons injured and caused 24,619 deaths.
A total of 1,788 cases of railway crossing accidents were reported which caused 1,762 deaths and left 165 persons injured.
Uttar Pradesh has reported the maximum cases of railway crossing accidents (851 out of 1,788 cases) accounting for 47.5 per cent of total such accidents.
(IANS)
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The country recorded 3,78,236 cases of crimes against women in 2018, the data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showed.
A total of 32,033 cases of rape were lodged in 2019, which was 7.3 per cent of all crimes against women during the year, the data showed.
In 2018, 33,356 rapes were recorded across the country, up from 32,559 in 2017, according to the data from corresponding years.
Majority of these cases under Indian Penal Code were registered under 'cruelty by husband or his relatives' (30.9 per cent) followed by 'Assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty' (21.8 per cent), 'kidnapping and abduction of women' (17.9 per cent), the NCRB data for 2019 showed.
The crime rate registered per lakh women population stood at 62.4 in 2019 in comparison with 58.8 in 2018, it showed.
The NCRB, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, is tasked with collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and special and local laws in the country.
(PTI)
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Even as the State battles to find ways to overcome poverty and deprivation issues, kidnapping and abduction of children have emerged as a bigger malaise, requiring urgent attention of the government of the day.
The ghastly kidnapping and murder of five-year-old Nayagarh girl ‘Pari’ which hit public conscience following the desperate suicide bid of her helpless parents came as a wakeup call for the appalling state of affairs showcasing the vulnerability of children and a complete failure of the State in ensuring protection to its children.
The sheer number count of kidnapped children in the State speaks volumes of the enormity of the situation. As many as 13 children, including 11 girls, are kidnapped every 24 hours in the State.
Also, consider this. In the last 2-months, the Odisha police had registered over half-a-dozen of cases pertaining to the kidnapping of children. An analysis of the cases shows that kidnappings are rampant across age groups.
On September 30 this year, the Odisha police rescued an 18-month old baby from the clutches of kidnappers in Jeypore. In the next month (October 15), a 15-year old girl was rescued in Cuttack.
But this is just half the story. The data compiled by the NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau)shows only 1 in every five children kidnapped/abducted in the State were rescued in 2019. The most glaring and recent instance is the Pari case.
As per the NCRB data, while the total kidnapping and abduction figures in the State stood at a massive 4,604, the victims under Section 363 of IPC were at 4,476.
Section 363 of IPC entails punishment of 7-years in jail and monetary penalty for the offences of kidnapping any children from India or from lawful guardianship.
In fact, kidnapping literally means child stealing, though in cases of elopement by minors also, aggrieved parents demand slapping the charges of kidnapping, said a senior State police official.
In the corresponding period, cases of kidnapping (elopement)stood at only 74. A total of another 55 minor victims were procured with the intent of illicit act. Both crimes fall under Section366 of IPC that entails 10-year jail term.
“The higher numbers of child kidnappings need to be seen in true perspective. Odisha actually has registered 160 child kidnapping cases in 2019, means where parents pressed for the charges or have suspicion of kidnapping. A massive number (4,316) of child kidnapping cases are in fact missing children cases, wherein there were no charges of kidnapping. Only due to the SC guidelines, the total number of kidnapped children grew to 4, 476,” explained ADG crime SoumendraPriyadarsi.
What is mention-worthy here is, as per a recent SC guideline, if missing children couldn’t be traced for 6 months, then police should consider the case as a deemed kidnapping case.
Significantly, children going missing in Odisha stood at a staggering 3,151 in 2019, and if around 2352 untraced children from last year are to be added to the list, the total number of missing children in the State at the beginning of 2020 would go up to 5,503.
The State has an abysmal tracing rate to show. Only 1,490 missing children had been traced so far, which comes around 27 per cent, the lowest in the country.
A cursory glance at the situation reveals that districts likeGanjam, Rayagada, Baleswar, Bhadrak, Nayagarh, Puri, Mayubhanj, Keonjhar, Sundergarh, Sambalpur and Angul have emerged as the hot spots of the alarming trend.
Dice it any away, the track record, when it comes to kidnapping or missing of children in Odisha, seems very pallid.
Why the pallid show?
Child rights activists squarely blame the Odisha police for the trend. “District administrations have no strategy to crack the whip on brokers who are part of organised rackets that supply cheap labour outside the State,” charged child Activist Ranjan Mohanty. He further added that the State lacked a coherent strategy to track and trace missing/kidnapped children.
On the other hand, police officials sought to put the blame entirely on the parents. “Parents file missing reports very late. Many cases get registered as late as 1-month after the incident. Late registration of missing reports hampers the tracking,” observed a senior police officer who spoke requesting anonymity.
“Odisha strictly follows the SOP issued by Apex Court for detecting missing children.” countered Priyadarshi.
An analysis shows the State does have a proper guideline on paper. But the SOP, which the Apex Court has prescribed, has enough teeth to bite.
For instance, the SC SOP asks giving wide publicity about the missing individuals in leading newspapers, TVs and even the local cable networks. Moreover, it advises for affixing hue and cry notices at prominent places, railway/bus stations, airports etc and flashing of WT message at all India level to all DCPs and SSPs. All of which are currently not adhered to in letter and spirit.
The State is yet to incorporate NHRC recommendation to involve the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for making the investigative procedures concerning missing/trafficked children more transparent and user-friendly.
The NHRC committee has even advised the DGP to take full advantage of representatives of PRIs/ Municipal Committees/ Neighbourhood Committees/Resident Welfare Associations etc, in investigating and tracking missing children, but State is yet implementing the recommendations, observed activists.
“Police should use ‘face recognition’ software in their patrol vehicles. It will bring dual windfall for them. Not only it will help find missing persons, but will also help in tracing wanted criminals,” Dhoble explained.
It has been observed that over the years (2015-19), in more than half of the cases made out under the Prevention of Corruption (PCA) of 1988, the accused in Odisha managed to secure honourable acquittals from the courts of law.
A keen glance shows that the conviction rate, as in judicial courts sentencing the accused as guilty, hovered between 43 -48 per cent for the period between 2015-2019. The rate in 2019 was 48.6 per cent.
Comparison With Central Corruption Watchdogs
In contrast, the conviction rate last year (2019) in the national corruption watchdog, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), was over 68 per cent. The CBI had a track record of achieving conviction in over 60 per cent of cases since 2014. It needs mentioning here that the CBI investigates both body crime and economic offences. However, the Odisha Vigilance handles only economic offences, graft as well as Disproportionate Assets (DA) by state government officials .
The data available with the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) reveals that CBI's conviction rate is around 70 per cent in the case of economic offences.
Similarly, the conviction rate of another central anti-graft agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) , that looks after cases for FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) violations, Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) cases, like hawala transactions, which are basically economic offences, had a conviction rate of whopping 93 per cent in 2019.
A Comparison With Other State Anti-graft Agencies
A comparative analysis with anti-graft bodies in other states shows that Madhya Pradesh had the highest conviction rate of 73 per cent in 2019 and is followed by Tamil Nadu. During the period of 2015-2019,when nearly 2 in every five cases had seen acquittal in Tamil Nadu and MP, Odisha recorded 3 acquittals in every five cases.
Odisha's Anti-graft Fight Serious?
On the face of it, the record here looks less enthusing. The institution of cases under PCA had recorded a consistent drop since 2015. The drop is over 38 per cent. Significantly, when institution of cases under PCA were witnessing a free fall, and when sentencing the accused as guilty had remained stagnant, how can the Sarkari Babus distance themselves from the temptation of easy money?
State Vigilance Vs RTI Activists, Lawyers
"The State Vigilance department is more concerned about creating sensationalism than combating corruption. Raids give them headlines. Pendency is very high in Odisha. Even filing charge sheets take years. High pendency and late filing of charge-sheets enable the accused to give a slip to the State's anti-graft watchdog." charged Pradip Pradhan, a RTI activist.
"The focus of Odisha vigilance was more on trap cases and netting high value DA cases. We are augmenting and strengthening our prosecution apparatus to improve the conviction rate. Our conviction rate was over 50 per cent in 2018. Even, in 2019, the conviction rate was far higher than the national average of 44 per cent," explained Odisha Vigilance Director, Dr Debashis Panigrahi.
"A delayed investigation lends a long rope for the accused, who are influential, to manage the witnesses and tamper with the evidences," warned senior lawyer Nishikant Mahapatra.. He questioned, "why does the conviction rate hovered around 60-70 per cent in trap cases, which are considered as open and shut cases ?"
"To warrant conviction even in trap cases, we need sufficient independent witnesses which is quite hard to get in trap cases, " countered a senior Vigilance official while requesting anonymity.
However, Mahapatra observed that videography of trap cases via secret camera could clinch the case for the Vigilance, since video evidences are admissible under IPC. He charged, "they lacked the instinct."
Facts About Pendency & Charge-sheeting Rate
Data with NCRB shows the pendency of cases under PC Act in Odisha was high at around 95 per cent (2019) vis-a-vis 92 per cent in 2017. The national average in 2019 stood at around 92 per cent.
The charge-sheeting rate was also miserable at 10 per cent in 2019 vis-a-vis 20 per cent in 2016 and 35 per cent in 2015. Take the instance of 2019: cases taken up for investigation were numbered to 1,660, but charge-sheets were filed in only 167 cases. Many cases are waiting since year 2015 to see a charge-sheet filed.
Why Sarkari Babus Fall To Easy Money Temptation In Odisha?
An analysis from the period 2001-2018 reveals that most of the convicted cases saw lighter punishments (imprisonment of 1 to 3 years and fines ranging from meagre Rs 4,000 to Rs 1 lakh), which hardly seem any deterrence for the corrupt.
What legal experts say: There is a need to mandate a fixed time-frame for an investigating officer to complete the investigation, and to ensure a real-time trial the number of courts needed to be linked to the fresh charge sheets filed by the department, which is not the case now, they opined.
They are also of the opinion that vigilance should remain under an independent body like Lokpal. "This will not only instil fear among the crooks but also bring a paradigm shift in investigation, charge-sheeting and conviction rates." said a lawyer appearing in the special Vigilance court.