As per report, the deceased identified as Kumudini Sabar sustained injury while trying to save her husband Sarat Sahu from Nilambar Suna.
According to sources, Nilambar demanded Rs 10,000 from Kumudini’s husband. When the later refused to entertain the extortion, Suna threatened to kill him.
As Suna opened fire at Sarat, Kumudini intervened and sustained injuries on her abdomen area.
She died on the spot, while the accused fled the spot soon after the incident.
“Suna came to my house and threatened to kill me if I failed to pay him money. When the altercation broke out, my wife intervened and in a bid to save me she sustained bullet wound,”, aid Sarat Sahu.
After getting information, police reached the spot and seized the body.
“Sarat Sahu has reported that when he was sleeping in his house, the accused in an inebriated condition knocked on his door and demanded money. When his (Sarat’s) wife intervened, the accused took out a pistol and shot Kumudini,” said Prashant Pattnaik, Nuapada SDPO.
An investigation has been initiated and efforts are on to apprehend the accused.
Reported by OTV’s Mayadhar Saraf
As per sources, Nakula Rout killed his son Shobhit in an inebriated condition and later committed suicide by hanging himself in his house.
Locals informed, Shobhit married a girl of other caste 14 years ago. Since his marriage, both father and son were at loggerheads. Neigbours said, the duo used to quarrel even over small issues.
Thursday was such an unlucky day, both engaged in a banter over family matters. In a fit of rage, Nakula hacked his son with an axe, after realising his mistake, he hanged himself.
“The duo used to quarrel everyday, but we have not imagined Nakula will take such a step. It is sad how contrabands are ruining peace and harmony of family,” said a local.
After receiving information, police reached the spot and collected the bodies for autopsy.
“Yesterday night we received the report that a father killed his son and later committed suicide. Further investigation to the matter is underway,” said Prashant Pattnayak, Nuapada SDPO.
He added, “Autopsy report will reveal whether Nakula was in inebriated condition or not.”
The 16-year-old girl allegedly consumed poison on Monday afternoon soon after she was subjected to molestation by the accused.
As per reports, the minor girl along with her friend had gone to a nearby stream to take bath on Monday. On the way, one Saroj Pradhan (22) intercepted her and allegedly molested her.
The alleged incident was witnessed by some locals who were passing by the area at that time.
Unable to bear the trauma and fearing social stigma, the girl consumed poison after returning home.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital in Khamar of Angul district by her parents. Later, after her condition deteriorated, she was transferred to district headquarters hospital.
However, doctors at the DHH declared her dead. The father of the deceased lodged a complaint at the Telkoi police station.
As per latest report, the body was at Angul DHH and will be handovered to the family after autopsy.
According to sources, the accused is absconding and further investigation is underway.
As per reports, a woman who was returning to home after dropping her ward at school on a bike was injured during the incident.
According to the victim, the bike-borne miscreants chased her for around 200 metres before launching an attack on her. The victim identified as Swapna Nish tried to save herself from the criminals but lost balance and injured herself after falling off her vehicle.
“When I was returning home after dropping my daughter, three bike borne miscreants came and snatched my chain. Locals tried to stop them but failed to act decisively as the criminals had came with arms," said the victim.
Meanwhile, the police have launched an investigation into the matter after lodging of an FIR at Nayapalli police Station.
A few weeks ago, two bike-borne armed miscreants looted a jewellery shop by firing blank shots near Janla police out-post, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
As per the data available with the National Judicial Data Grid, the average number of criminal cases filed per day in the State during the last 2-years has been around 402. During the years 2020 and 2021 (till Dec 13), the total criminal cases taken up by the subordinate courts across the State has been over 2.932 lakh. Odisha is the 12th such state in the country where the rise in criminal cases in the last 2-years has been over 2 lakh.
On the contrary, the rise in Civil cases in the State during the same period has been slower. The rise in the last 2-years is estimated at 78,011. With a lesser rise, the State didn't figure in the top 15 states in the country that has seen a rise in Civil cases during the last 2-years.
The growth pace of criminal cases vis-a-vis civil cases in Odisha hints big. Crime in Odisha is rising at a galloping speed. And the Odisha police have to identify the grey districts in the State that carry the crime load.
Crime Prone Districts
The data with NJDG reveals that in November the State saw the registration of 21,244 criminal cases. Nayagarh tops among districts with 2842 cases. The other districts in the top -10 include Cuttack (1809), Sundargarh (1484), Sambalpur (1420), Khordha (1346), Angul (1227), Jajpur (1152), Bhadrak (1024), Mayurbhanj (886) and Puri (884).
The year till date has seen the registration of a whopping 35,866 criminal cases filed by women in the State. And the State Headquarters district Khordha tops with a massive load of 5,256 cases. Other top-10 districts are Balasore (3,990), Cuttack (3,631), Sambalpur (3,054), Bhadrak (2,759), Ganjam (1,738), Jajpur (1,482), Mayurbhanj (1,459), Puri (1,442) and Sundargarh (1049).
As per a BPRD report, crime mapping of districts/areas is essential for the police to bring down the rate of crime in a region. And in order to accomplish the objective, the police have to activate its LIUs (local intelligence unit) in the crime-prone districts/regions, the report added.
Odisha Versus Neighbours
When it comes to criminal cases, neighbouring Andhra Pradesh saw an increase of 1.703 lakh in the last two years in 2020 and 2021 (till Dec 13), Chhattisgarh witnessed a rise by 1.47 lakh, West Bengal (3.62 lakh), Jharkhand (1.47lakh).
The data shows more criminal cases in the states of Odisha and West Bengal. Though Odisha has a higher population than Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, it is lower than Andhra Pradesh (5.46 cr) and West Bengal (10.9 cr).
The comparison, thus, shows that the crime load in Odisha is higher than its biggest neighbours.
It is all there in black and white. According to the annual ‘Crime in India’ report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) last month, crimes against women in 2020 rose nearly 10% over the previous year, one of the biggest spurts in the whole country. Significantly, the rise came during a year when the state was under a prolonged lockdown due to the Covid pandemic. At 112.9, the rate of crimes against women in the state per lakh of population was the second highest in the country, after Assam. Even Assam reported a drop in the crimes against women in 2020 even as Odisha registered a 10% rise. The entire report makes for depressing reading and underscores Odisha’s dubious distinction as one of the most unsafe states for women in the country.
How does one explain this strange dichotomy – of a state with the most women-friendly government and policies which is also among the most unsafe places for women? The Mamita Meher murder case in Bolangir provides a probable clue. True, the main accused has been arrested and has already confessed to his crime. But look back at the way the case has unfolded since the beginning and you will get the drift.
Mamata’s family members went to the Kegaon police station in Kalahandi to lodge an FIR on October 8, the day she went missing. But were turned away by Kegaon police on the ground that the case did not fall under its jurisdiction! Even if the family members did not know about it, the now suspended IIC of the police station certainly knew about the ‘zero FIR’ rule, which makes it mandatory for the police to register an FIR irrespective of the place of occurrence. Forget another district, the officer was duty-bound to register the FIR even if the incident had happened in another state. And yet, he refused to lodge the FIR – and no prizes for guessing why. The officer clearly refused to entertain the FIR only because the person named in it was Gobinda Sahu, a man who wielded tremendous clout in the area due to his alleged proximity to the minister of state for Home Capt Dibya Shankar Mishra. Who knows, Mamita may have been saved had Kegaon police registered the FIR and acted with the alacrity such a case warranted. Even if she was dead by then, her family members would at least have been spared the nightmare they underwent for the next week or so, till it emerged that she was murdered on October 8 itself, wondering what had happened to her. All through this period, they were led up the garden path and assured by the police that Mamita was alive and would come back!
More importantly, the refusal of Kegaon to register the FIR provided Sahu with ample time to tamper with evidence of his complicity. The fact that Mamita’s mobile phone, which would have been a crucial evidence in court, hasn’t been traced even a week after Sahu’s arrest. There are also reports that he frequented a particular room in the ladies’ hostel of the Plus Two college in Mahaling (where Mamita taught) during the period from October 8 and October 13, when the FIR was finally lodged and Sahu arrested. It is possible he erased any evidence that would have nailed him during these visits.
The fact that he has been arrested, which the police and the state government tom-tom as a huge achievement, amounts to precious little if the case is not taken to its logical conclusion and Sahu is not convicted of murder in a court of law. As anyone with even a cursory knowledge of criminal jurisprudence knows, the initial investigation and evidence gathering is the most important factor in securing conviction. If the probe has been botched up at the very first stage, the chances of securing a conviction are extremely slim – as has been proved in several cases in recent years, including the Bebina murder case in Pipili, the Itishree murder case in Tikiri and the infamous Kunduli gang-rape case (which the police flatly denied) in Koraput. No wonder the conviction rate in crimes against women in Odisha is a dismal 9.2%, one of the poorest in the country, and the pendency rate in courts a high 98.9%, the second highest in the country.
This being the case, there is little deterrent for the prospective perpetrator of crime against women in the state. He knows very well that there is little chance of conviction if he plays his cards well – and spends some money. And if he also has a patron in the ruling party, as Sahu apparently has, he can literally get away with murder!!
(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.)
More From The Author: Life Is Cheap In India, Cheaper In Odisha
Following his arrest on Monday night, the accused admitted to have killed the couple for previous enmity. However, a few hours later, the Bhadrak SP revealed that the motive behind the murders was to acquire Rs 2 lakh which the couple had received after a legal settlement.
However, since Babua has been frequently deviating from his statements, the cops wish to elicit more information from him and understand the real motive behind the murder, informed sources.
Earlier on Monday, body of Bhaktilata Beuria was found near the kitchen of her house. Her husband Rabi Beuria who was missing after the incident was found dead in a canal after Babua confessed to the crime.
After Babua's confession, police recovered Rabi's body from a canal near Kalitra in Dhamnagar area of the district. The cops on Monday night had nabbed Babua from near a petrol pump at Chandrashekharpur in Bhubaneswar.
The raids were carried out at the Kendrapara tehsil, Derabish tehsil and Mahakalpara tehsil. The municipality office in Kendrapara was also raided.
According to sources, the six-member team that conducted the raids seized a few incrementing documents belonging to 2015 and related to the gangster’s businesses and his connivance with the then officials.
The team also raided Tito’s petrol pump situated on the Kendrapara bypass. An Amin and Revenue Inspector who accompanied the team measured the area to find out any encroachments by Tito for setting up of the petrol pump.
Earlier, the vigilance sleuths had raided the RTO office in Kendrapara , Cuttack and Chandikhole.
The raids are being carried out after the Crime Branch STF asked the anti-corruption wing to probe the alleged nexus between gangster Tito and public servants.
Following the disclosure, police recovered Beuria's body from a canal near Kalitra in Dhamnagar of the district this morning.
Confessing to the crime, Mohanty said, "The couple had been troubling my parents since childhood and I always wanted to kill them. On Sunday night I and Rabi consumed alcohol. In an inebriated condition, I attacked him and pushed him into the canal. Thereafter I reached their house where I murdered his wife. Although I had plans to kill their daughter, I could not do so since few people had reached the spot."
According to police, the accused also looted jewellery and cash from the house before fleeing Bhadrak. “He also raped the couple's daughter. Investigation is on to get more information on his motive behind the crime. Other aspects of the case are also being probed," said Manoranjan Samal, a senior police official.
Earlier on Monday , body of Bhaktilata Beuria was found near the kitchen of her house in Talachitha village in Dhamnagar of the district. As per reports, Mohanty used a stone pestle to kill the woman. Later in the day, the minor daughter of the deceased couple had filed a police complaint alleging that she was raped by Mohanty.
As per reports, the accused recorded intimate moments with the girl inside their college premises and circulated the video. He also blackmailed the girl and threatened to make more such recordings viral.
The Dhamnagar police arrested the accused from his house in Bahabalpur in Jajpur."The victim is a minor girl. The accused had some objectionable video of her and made it viral. He also kept blackmailing the girl. The boy tried to destroy the phone but we have seized it and will send it for analysis," said SP, Bhadrak B Gangadhar.
Chagala, who received bullet injuries in both his legs, was rushed to the Nayagarh DHH first and later shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack where he succumbed to his injuries.
"Following a tip off that some criminal were planning to organise a crime here, we headed to the spot. On finding us face to face, the miscreants started firing at us and we fired back in retaliation. While Chagala received two bullets on both his legs below the knee, the two others managed to flee," said a senior police official at Nayagarh.
Interestingly, this is the fifth encounter by Nyagarh police this year.
As per reports, Chagala was a close associate of gangster Tito and had more than 50 criminal cases registered against him at different police stations across the State. "He was involved in several cases including three murders, besides several cases of extortion and bombing," informed the senior official. A local made pistol and two bullets have been seized from the spot.
Chagala hailed from Raniula of Niyali in Cuttack, informed sources. Earlier, gangster Tito had sustained bullet injuries on his left leg in a police encounter near Chandikhole on June 30.
In the first harrowing incident, Bipin Sabat of Puruna Basti was found lying in a pool of blood on the road at Beheramala in Jharsuguda district.
Police while recovering the body found deep injury marks on the head and neck of the deceased which indicated it as a case of murder.
Police also seized Rs 73,000 cash from the deceased. The crime is suspected to be a fallout of past enmity or failed loot bid, police said.
Jhasuguda SP Bikash Chandra Dash said the crime seems to be an act of a past rivalry.
“Prima facie, it seems he has been murdered over some past enmity. His body bore multiple injury marks which indicated that there was a tussle between the victim and the miscreants. Some cash has also been recovered from the victim. Robbery aspect has also been brought under the purview of investigation.” he added.
All aspects of the case are opened. “We are investigating the case pressing the scientific team into the services. The reason for the crime will be soon ascertained,” the SP maintained.
In a similar incident, body of a man was found with throat slit beside an eatery near Old Toll Plaza at Nirgundi in Cuttack district.
The deceased has been identified as Ashok Mohanty of Choudwar jail colony. He had been working at a nearby transport company for the last two years
Mohanty is suspected to have been murdered on Thursday night.
Police arrested a person in this connection and investigating further to establish the reason of the crime.
The body has been sent for post-mortem, police said.
Family members of the deceased are being communicated, police added.
According to a complaint filed at the Telkoi police station, the incident took place when three women, including the survivor, had gone to witness the Dola Jatra organised in the village.
Late in the evening, they went to the nearby fields, little away from the Jatra spot, to find a place to relieve themselves. While returning from the fields, a gang of five youths intercepted and grabbed them. Though the other two women were also targeted, they somehow managed to break free and run.
Both of them rushed to their street and alerted the villagers about the whole incident who launched a search from the place the survivor was dragged away.
After a frantic search, they finally found her lying behind a school while the tormentors jumped the school walls and fled the scene after seeing the villagers.
Narrating the whole episode, the survivor said, “Three of us had gone outside to see Dola Jatra. We went to the bushes and while returning we were grabbed by five youths. My friends ran away and I was dragged away to a nearby school and raped by them. I know one of the accused."
Meanwhile, police have registered a case based on the complaint lodged by her family members. Police also detained an accused and are interrogating him while a manhunt has been launched to nab other four, sources said.
Further investigation is underway.
Earlier, the body of one Padmanabha Bhoi from Patana village was recovered from Nayahat Bazar in Puri district on Tuesday. After registering an unnatural death case, Police had sent the body for post mortem to Chari Chhaka Hospital.
However, the family members of the deceased alleged that Bhoi was murdered and later blocked the road to press for a detailed investigation. The road blockade was lifted only after the cops assured to register a murder case.
"I suspect that my husband was killed by Munna Nayak and his son Babu Nayak. I demand justice, what will become of my kids without their father," said, the deceased's wife, Kuni Bhoi.
SDPO, Sarat Mishra on the other hand said, "As per the demands of the locals, we have registered a murder case. Further action will be taken on the basis of CCTV footage and other prima facie evidences."
Soon after locals spotted the half-naked body under the bridge, they informed police about the incident who rushed to the spot and recovered the body.
Police have reportedly initiated an investigation while the body has been sent for post-mortem. A two-wheeler found at the spot was also seized by police.
"Based on the preliminary evidences, it is being suspected that the teacher's body was dumped after killing him. Further investigation will be based on the post-mortem report," said a senior police official.
Meanwhile, Ramchandra's family members have lodged a complaint with the police alleging that he has been murdered.
According to a complaint lodged at the Sadar police station of the district, the businessman V Bhaskar Rao was travelling with his colleague in a car when the incident happened. Rao in his complaint claimed that he was carrying Rs 9.60 lakh and was on the Koraput-Jeypore main road when three bike-borne miscreants intercepted their car near Mastiput area. The miscreants then robbed them of the cash at gun point, he said.
While the Sadar police has launched an investigation, two incidents in a span of three days have swirled distress among the local residents.
Two days back, a similar incident had come to fore after miscreants carried out a loot by breaking a car trunk.
The deceased has been identified as M. Suresh Kumar of Kasturi Nagar and a student of Rayagada Autonomous College.
On being informed, the local police along with a scientific team and dog squad rushed to the spot and started investigation in presence of Rayagada SDPO Tapan Narayan Rath.
"From our preliminary investigation, we assume it to be a case of murder. He might have been murdered somewhere and his body has been dumped here. The investigation is underway and we are hopeful of getting some clue. We will arrest the accused soon," said the SDPO.
As many as 10 youths from Bada Ichhapur village reportedly attacked former Pandiripada sarpanch Dandapani Nayak’s son Sushant and two of his associates.
All of them were immediately rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. Sushant died while undergoing treatment in the hospital today morning, the condition of his other two associates is critical.
Even as the exact reason behind the attack is not clear, political enmity is suspected behind the murder.
“The incident seems like it is the fallout of past rivalry. We have started an investigation into the matter. Police forces have been deployed to maintain law and order in the village,” said, Ganjam Additional S.P, Sitaram Satapathy.
The bodies of the deceased- Krushna Behera, Purna Behera and Panchu Behera of Sadanadapur were handed over to their families after post mortem. However, three platoons of police forces have been deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident with markets and shops still shut due to outrage by the locals.
"Prior to this, the same persons had attacked me and other members of my family during Satasankha Melana. I was harassed by them. I had even lodged a complaint at the Satyabadi police station. There was a threat to my husband's life and I begged before them to help me. Police then assured me that they will look into it," said wife of one of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Puri SP Umashankar Das has claimed family feud over land dispute as the reason behind the gruesome murders.
"All the accused directly involved in the murder or been a part of the conspiracy, have been identified. We have detained four persons so far and interrogating them. All the accused will be arrested soon," said Das.
"Yesterday's incident cannot be tagged as a triple murder. It was rather an outcome of a family feud due to land dispute. There have been instances of scuffle in the family earlier, which took a violent turn yesterday," added the SP.
The accused Sashi Mahalika attacked his son-in-law Sourabh Dandia from Barapada village with an axe while the latter was returning from the local Anganwadi centre after dropping his wife.
The matter came to fore today after a complaint was lodged by the father of the victim, Chitrasen at the Kantamala police station in this regard.
Reportedly, Sourabh was having love affair with Sashi’s daughter since past two years and tied knot with her recently after eloping from the house.
However, Sashi did not approve the wedding and was furious at the couple for marrying against his wishes. With a purpose to settle the scores, he allegedly attacked Sashi with an axe and chopped off his leg.
As per reports, Sourabh has been shifted to the VIMSAR hospital in Burla and his condition is stated to be critical. The accused is absconding.
Police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused.
On September 24, a gang of robbers looted cash and gold ornaments from one Lala Lalit Singh after opening fire at him near Nuapatna rice mill when he was en route to Dhenkanal from Puri along with his family. Singh succumbed to the headshot injury while undergoing treatment at SCB Hospital in Cuttack.
Of the four accused in the loot and murder incident, Ajay was arrested on Sunday near Tangi-Kapilas road, while another associate Muna Dehury was nabbed after police encounter in Choudwar area today.
Hours later, the investigation took a new twist after Ajay during interrogation revealed that his mother, sister and his girlfriend helped him execute his loot plans. He said that these three used to help him sell the items looted by him.
Based on the disclosure, a team of Commissionerate Police immediately arrested the trio. "During the course of investigation, it was found that Jitu's mother, sister and girlfriend were actively involved in the crimes. They used to guide him, give him shelter apart from selling the looted items. We have seized stolen Mangalsutras, gold chains and rings from their possession," said Cuttack DCP Akhilesvar Singh.
It is pertinent to mention here that both Ajay and Muna are involved in robberies, dacoity, firing incidents with as many as 16-17 cases registered against each of them at several police stations.
Meanwhile, police is investigating to trace the other two absconding criminals.
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.
Consider this. As per the NCRB report, in 2014, nearly 15 per cent of offenders were ‘serial criminals’ (means they are criminals who have seen conviction for their earlier crimes).
The proportion in year 2016 was drastically down to around 1 per cent. And in 2017, it had shrunk to a measly 0.2 per cent.
This means the new offenders in Odisha were 85 per cent in 2014, which then went up to 99.8 per cent in 2017, which is unique to the country's criminal jurisprudence system. No other state in the country has such huge proportion of 'new offenders'.
As per NCRB data 2017, Odisha police had made arrests to the tune of nearly 86,346 in over 83,583 IPC crimes, and only 148, including 7 juveniles, were the ‘serial criminals’ or arrested for their previous crimes.
The catch here is, as per State police data, repeated offenders are not spiking the crime rate but the ‘new offenders’.
Data shows Odisha police arrested a whopping 84,963 adults in 2017 for the first time. Similarly, it had arrested 1,235 juveniles under various sections of IPC for the first time. Moreover, the 2017 NCRB report revealed that around 98-99 per cent of the arrested offenders in riots, rapes, molestation, dacoity, burglary and murders were ‘new offenders’.
And if the trend remains unchanged in future then threat to law and order scenario in Odisha will be surely going for a complete tailspin.
Why this trend is a serious threat for the State police? Because, such criminals are out of the State Police radar. Police usually keep a track on the movement of ‘serial criminals’ only, explained a senior police official in the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB).
In this context, the future also looks very scary for Odisha. Because, in the year 2017 the acquittal rate had touched a new high.
While for the last four years, the State was seeing criminals’ average acquittal rate to the tune of 64 per cent, the rate spurted to a massive 91 per cent in 2017. This means of every 100 criminals arrested, only 9 see punishment. In contrast, the national average had been around 49 for every 100 arrests made.
Another interesting comparison here is when the population of criminals in Odisha overwhelmingly stood at 86,346, the police personnel stood at mere 35, 486.
The matter came to the fore after the family members of the minor girl lodged a complaint at Borigumma Police Station on Thursday, said reports.
As per the complaint, a youth identified as Dambaru Muduli asked the girl to accompany her for sightseeing around the village but allegedly took her to a nearby forest and raped her.
Later, he dropped her home and threatened her not to reveal the incident to anyone. However when the girlfell sick, she opened up about the incident to her mother. Later she was rushed to Jepore Hospital for treatment.
"She told me that the accused (Muduli) took her with him and raped her," alleged the mother of the girl.
Police have initiated an investigation into the incident after registering an FIR. The accused on the other hand, is stated to be absconding after the case.
While Mantry was heading towards Heragohari Street in the evening, the two miscreants followed him and intercepted him near an isolated Boarding Chhak. They tried to escape with Mantry's mobile phone but when he resisted their attempt, the miscreants allegedly thrashed him and opened fire at him. Mantry has reportedly sustained bullet injury in one of his palms.
Speaking to OTV, Mantri said, "They (miscreants) tried to snatch my mobile phone but when they failed to do so, they fled the spot. They again returned, tugged off my shirt and thrashed me. When one of them took out a pistol, I tried to object that with my palm. That is how I sustained injury."
Soon after the incident, massive protest spiraled with hundreds of students of the Ayurvedic College gathering near VIP Road and staging a road blockade by burning tyres. While a complaint has already been lodged at Kumbharapada police station, the students refused to buzz off from the protest scene demanding immediate arrest of the accused.
The agitating students raised slogans - "We Want Justice. Puri Administration, Down Down."
If strict action is not taken, we will be forced to intensify the agitation, threatened another student, adding that the unsafe environment has triggered panic among all.
College Principal, Sudarsan Behera said, "Four to five persons stopped him near Boarding Samiti. They asked him his mobile phone for reasons unknown. When he objected, they thrashed him and one of them started brandishing a weapon and later shot a round at him. We have lodged a complaint with police."
Police, however, is yet to respond.
https://youtu.be/apqehku5L6M
The efficacy of policing in the State has been put under serious scrutiny by the citizens after cases of burglary, loot, snatching, cyber-crimes, rape and murder multiplied in recent years. In fact the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has put Odisha in second place only after Uttar Pradesh in crimes against women.
The Congress party in Odisha Assembly, apart from BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi in Lok Sabha, has severely criticized the Odisha government for rising cases of cyber-crimes in the State.
From the five deaths, the first case that took everyone by surprise occurred at Budulipadar Ghat inTumudibandha under Kandhamal district, where bodies of two youths were spotted lying in a pool of blood with deep cut marks in their head. It was suspected that some miscreants hacked them to death.
The family of the two youths brought murder allegations and blocked the National Highway demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.
The second incident was reported from Kharadapalli village under Bolagarh police limits in Khordha where another youth identified as Satya Sundar Behera, who was allegedly murdered on Saturday night. Locals here blocked the Highway demanding arrest of the accused too.
The third case was reported from the same Khordha district where a blood-soaked body of an elderly man named Ashok Kumar Padhi was recovered today near Alaidiha under Banapur police limits. It was suspected that Ashok was attacked by one of his neighbours.
The fourth incident was reported from Asurkhal village under Kaptipada police limits in Mayurbhanj district where one Rabindra Nayak was allegedly beaten to death by his brother-in-law, Kartik Nayak over a dispute involving an Ox.
Mrugamani Nayak, the wife of the deceased alleged, “Kartik was drunk and beat my husband to death in a fit of rage.”
Speaking on the crime graph of Odisha, former Police DG, Sanjeev Marik said, “The crime rate was declining in 2018 and 2019. Though the rate of Cuttack was a bit high but Bhubaneswar’s crime record was low.”
“In Odisha, we anyways witness 2 to 3 murders on a daily basis,” added Marik.
(Edited By Pradeep Singh)
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Laxman Rout, the person in whose house the theft took place, claimed that around Rs 25,000 cash and gold and silver ornaments worth lakhs of rupees have been looted from his house.
As per reports, while Laxman was sleeping in his shop, some metres away from his house last night, the gang of thieves barged into his house at around 2.30 PM and threatened his family members at knife-point.
They later broke open the 'almirah' and decamped with the cash and jewellery kept inside it.
"The robbers entered the house by breaking open the lock of the door and threatened us with a knife. They asked me for money and when I refused that I don't have anything, they manhandled me. Later, they broke the almirah lock with a hammer and decamped with the cash and jewellery," alleged Laxman's wife Laxmipriya Rout.
"My wife called me over phone and informed about the theft. By the time I reached, the thieves had already fled the spot," said Laxman.
An FIR has been lodged at Khutuni Police Station in connection with the incident.
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The accused identified as Papu Sen was carrying a cash reward of Rs 25,000 on his head in connection with another murder case in Uttar Pradesh, Lalitpur (UP) SP Pramod Kumar said.
“He had murdered one Raghunandan Bed in Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh. Since then, he was on the run. After murdering Raghunandan, he had gone to his in-laws in Odisha, where he had also killed his father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law over some family dispute. A case had been also lodged at Binika police station,” said Pramod Kumar, superintendent of Police (SP), Lalitpur (UP).
“We have apprised the Odisha police regarding the arrest. They will also take him on remand for further investigation,” Kumar added.
In July, 2020 Sen had killed his father-in-law Bulu Bhoi (65), mother-in-law Baidehi Bhoi (55) and brother-in-law Shiva Bhoi (25).
Shiva’s body had been recovered outside the house while two others’ bodies were found lying in a pool of blood inside the house.
He had hacked the trio to death with an axe.
Sources said Sen’s wife had an extra martial relationship with her lover. She had also eloped with him which had irked Sen.
Dhusuri Police on Wednesday arrested a man named Subash Behera on charges of attacking his neighbour with acid around 19 years ago in Raipur area of the district.
As per sources, Subash had thrown acid on the wife of one Bhajagobinda Jena, who happened to be his neighbour, over a family dispute back in 2002.
Acting on a complaint lodged by Jena and his wife, police had raided the house of the accused, but could not arrest him as he was absconding.
Dhusuri Police launched a manhunt to nab Subash after registering a case-number 26/2 but it could not make any substantial headway into the case.
On Wednesday, cops received an intel that Subash has come back to his house and immediately raided the spot to arrest the accused.
After preliminary interrogation, a special team of cops arrested Subash from his house and forwarded him to the court.
As per official sources, severe charges under section 303 and 327 under the IPC have been slapped against the accused in connection with the incident.
A few days ago, the Twin City Police of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar had caught Biban Biswal, the prime accused in the sensational Anjana Mishra gangrape case from Lonavla in Maharashtra. The arrest of the accused, which came after nearly 22 years, is considered to be a milestone success for the police.