BHUBANESWAR: The state government’s overdrive on safety and empowerment of women has been stonewalled by the criminals as rape cases continue to surge ahead.
Replying to a written question of Congress leader Narasingh Mishra, Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra said around 937 cases of rape were reported across the State between January and May.
The number of cases reported in 2018 was higher than 2017.
While 2,502 rape cases were reported in 2018, it was 2,221 cases in 2017, 2,144 in 2016, 2,286 in 2015 and 2,011 in 2014.
The data released by Odisha government also indicate failure on part of the police to curb heinous crimes like murder and rape despite its claims of curbing the crime rate.
To Mishra’s question whether government will provide a year-wise and category-wise crime position from 2010 to date, Dibya Shankar provided the crime statistics of various offences between 2010 and 2019.
He said 68,508 cognisable cases were registered in 2010 and the trend kept rising in subsequent years.
Till May this year, 45,628 cognisable cases were registered; while 1,07,408 cases were registered in 2018; 1,03,866 cases in 2017 and 1,03,602 in 2016.
The number of murder cases too rose in 2018. As many as 1,378 cases were registered in 2018; 1,267 in 2017; 1,328 in 2016; 1,473 in 2015 and 1,450 in 2014. In the current year till May, 563 murder cases have been registered, he added.
Road accidents too showed a rise. A whopping 4,900 accidents were reported between January and May this year.
In the previous year, 11,262 cases were reported against 10,855 in 2017 and 10,532 in 2016. There was a decline of 10 cases in 2016 from 2015 when 10,542 cases were reported, the Minister stated.
Registered cases
45,628 cognizable cases till May
1,07,408 cases 2018
563 murder cases registered till May
1,378 cases in 2018
937 rape cases till May