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Bhubaneswar: At a time when concerns are being expressed over rising incidents of crime against women, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday, while replying to query in Assembly, also admitted that there has been a spurt in rape and gang rape incidents.
In a written reply to a question of Opposition party Chief Whip, Tara Prasad Bahinipati; Patnaik informed the house that 1,283 minor girl rape cases were reported in 2017 as compared to 1,204 in 2016.
Similarly, 1,156 accused in 2016 and 1,148 accused in 2017 have been arrested in connection with the above cases. Moreover, out of the total 1,212 minor girl rape cases in 2015, 1,122 accused were arrested, data provided by the CM revealed.
Besides, 92 gang rape cases were registered in 2017 while 199 accused were arrested.
Apart from crime against women, Odisha has also seen an increase in highway robberies and loot in the past couple of years.
296 highway dacoity cases have been reported in the last four years, informed Patnaik in reply to a question by MLA Sanatan Mahakud in Assembly today.
While 60 highway dacoity incidents were reported in 2015, the figure shot up to 86 in 2017.
On the other hand, data on prosecution and conviction in excise-related crimes presented in Assembly today, revealed that several drug peddlers are being acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Such startling facts were revealed by Excise Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera in reply to a question in Assembly today.
While the conviction rate stood at 4.59 percent in 2015, it dipped to a low of 3.62 percent in 2018. The conviction rate in 2016 was abysmal at 0.36 percent and 3.46 percent in 2017.
As many as 6,127 persons were acquitted while there were 231 convictions in 2018, informed the minister.
According to Behera, "Rate of acquittal was high as prescribed procedures were not followed by the departmental officers. The seized materials were not produced by the investigating officers before the Courts and they could not prove that the seized materials were intoxicants."
