Special drive to curb drug peddling, illegal firearms trade in capital city: CP

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police would launch a special drive to curb drug peddling and illegal firearms trade in the state capital. Apart from this emphasis would be given traffic control and protection to women and senior citizens, said Police Commissioner YB Khurania today.

Giving a detailed account of the annual crime rate in the twin city of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to the media at the Commissionerate Police headquarters here, he said the overall crime rate in terms of the total number of cognisable cases in these two cities has come down in 2016 as compared to last year.

“The total number of cognizable cases in 2015 was 10,906 which has come down to 10,744 in 2016,” he said.

Talking about the crimes under Excise Act, Khurania said as against 820 cases reported in 2015, 991 cases have been reported in 2016 in the twin city.

Besides, there is a rise in the crime rate under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. While 12 cases were registered in 2015 the number was more than double (34) in 2016.

As regards recovery and seizure of illegal firearms, 113 cases were registered in 2015 while 157 cases were registered in 2016. While 63 firearms were seized in 2015, 89 firearms were seized in 2016.

Referring to the atrocities on women, Khurania said while 127 rape cases were reported in 2015 of which 36 were women and 91 were minor girls, the number has gone up to 144 in 2016 in which 68 women and 76 minor girls were raped. “We have been able to apprehend the accused in 99.3 percent cases that had taken place last year,” he said, adding that under Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 27 cases were registered in 2016 as against 21 in 2015.

In firing incidents, there was a marginal fall in the number of cases (8) in 2016 compared to 2015 (10).

The police commissioner further said the riot cases as compared to 2015 (138) has gone up to 161 in 2016.

Referring to other crimes, the Police Commissioner said 64 cases of murder were registered in 2016 as compared to 61 in 2015.

Apart from this, 14 cases of dacoity were reported in 2016 while the police was able to foil dacoity bid on 17 occasions. In comparison, 21 dacoity cases were reported and 30 dacoity bid were foiled in 2015, he added.

On the contrary, 251 cases of robbery were registered last year as compared to 217 cases registered in 2015, he pointed out.

Khurania also informed that the number of burglary, theft and swindling cases have come down in 2016.

“While there were 354 cases of burglary (68 day burglary and 286 night burglary) in 2016, the number was higher (378) in 2015 (42 day burglary and 336 night burglary). Besides, 1902 theft cases (906 vehicular and 996 other theft cases) were reported in 2016 while the number was much higher (2328) in 2015 (1070 vehicular and 1258 other theft cases). Similarly, the number of swindling cases has come down substantially (746) in 2016 as compared to 830 in 2015,” he informed.

The Police Commissioner also informed that there has been a marginal fall in the number of road accidents (914) in 2016 as compared to 923 in 2015. But the number of death was 308 in 2016 as compared to 286 in 2015.