Here is a statutory warning. Blink twice as the cupid arrow is killing big in the State. Love affairs have emerged as the fifth biggest motive behind the murders in Odisha.
Every ten days, at least one life meets a violent death in the State ostensibly for the cause of 'love'. As many as 59 persons were done to death over 'love affairs' in Odisha last year, reveals the NCRB report. This is not an aberration. The trend is being witnessed for the last 5-years. The only element of concern is killings rose even in the pandemic year.
Odisha In National Map
As per the Crime in India 2020 report, Odisha figured among the top-10 states in the country. The chart is led by UP and is followed by Bihar, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
The Plot
When the murder over love affairs in the State accounted for over 4 per cent of total murders in the year 2020, an analysis shows this is the fifth largest motive after disputes, dowry, for gain and personal vendetta. It further reveals that the majority of the victims (males and females) belongs to the age group of 18 -25 years.
An analysis of the Odisha police data with regard to gender-wise toll in 'Love affairs' reveals the plot.
While females were majorly killed in a one-sided love affair, males become victims of revenge killing by the parents of the females. A look at the balance sheet shows males make nearly 95 per cent of the love toll. Investigations also show that in a significant chunk of cases, the geometry (love triangle) spells the final arithmetic (Elimination of one) for the male lovers.
The police investigations into the death trend over the 'affairs' revealed that the 'compatibility' factor plays a key role in love thrusting an untimely death. The compatibility factor in the State ranges from caste, class to jealousy.
It seems the deaths due to love in the State are mostly attributed to causes of caste and class. Cases of 'Love affairs' proving lethal over inter-religion dalliance have been very few.
The Solution
Though strict law enforcement will have a sobering impact on putting an end to such unfortunate killings, sociologists feel as both love and violence takes birth in mind, the solution to the problem seemingly lies in the 'mind' itself. Only a change in 'mindset' will curb this 'mindless' violence, they observed.