Six rape cases filed every day in Odisha in 2016

Bhubaneswar: Even though the number of cases registered dropped marginally in 2016, on an average alarmingly at least six cases of rapes were filed every day, raising concerns over the safety of women in State.

According to the White Paper tabled in the Odisha Assembly, 2,144 rapes were reported last year.

The number of cognizable offences also saw an upward trend as 1, 03,602 cases were registered in 2016 against 1, 03,200 cases the previous year.

2016, however, experienced a decrease in major crimes like murder and rape cases, according to the White Paper, 2016, circulated in the assembly today.

While a total of 1,328 murder cases had been registered in 2016, it was 1473 in 2015.

While speaking during the Home Department’s budgetary discussion in the Assembly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that the law and order situation was peaceful in 2016.

However, opposition parties including BJP and Congress on the other hand targeted the State Government for the deteriorating Law and Order situation here.

“Before 2014, usually a comparison was done on the number of crimes and number of arrests with previous years in the White Paper submitted. But this has now been intentionally changed by the State government,” alleged Leader of the Opposition Narsingha Mishra.

“In the White Paper, the government at many places has admitted that the Maoist and law and order situation has deteriorated in the state,” said BJP leader Pradip Purohit.

However, senior BJD leaders have refuted allegations levelled by the opposition parties.

“A comparison has been made with the overall crime scenario with 2015 which suggest that there has been a drop in the number of crimes in Odisha in 2016,” said BJD spokesperson, Amar Satpathy.

Odisha registered a slight improvement in the overall Maoist situation with 68 incidents of violence being reported in 2016 as per the White Paper.

As per the report, 23 civilians and three security personnel had died in exchange of fire between rebels and police that occurred 33 times in 2016. 33 ultras were also neutralised in the counter operations by the security forces in the state.

The report said exchange of fire between rebels and the police had taken place 33 times in the year in which 23 civilians and three security personnel had died.

There were 566 cases of dacoity and 2,012 of loot, 4,004 of burglary 9,044 of theft, 3,197 of swindling, 10,532 of motor vehicle accidents and 68,861 miscellaneous cases reported during 2016.