Crime in Odisha on the rise: Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, March 17 (IANS) Crime in Odisha is on the rise as 93,657 cases were registered in 2014 as compared to the 90,184 in 2013, according to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The rise was in major crimes such as rape, dowry torture, riots, loot and theft, but the number of murder cases declined compared to last year, Patnaik told the assembly late Monday in a written reply.

A total of 73,630 cognizable cases were registered in 2011, and the number increased to 83,960 in 2012.

Patnaik said the percentage of rape cases registered each year between 2011 and 2014 has also increased. While 1,112 rape cases were registered in 2011, the number has almost doubled to 2,011 cases in 2014.

Police registered 1,458 rape cases in 2012 and 1,832 cases in 2013, he said.

However, the percentage of murder cases compared to total cases registered in these years showed a declining trend -- 1,477 murder cases in 2011, 1,548 in 2012, 1,454 in 2013 and 1,450 cases in 2014.

Similarly, the percentage of motor vehicle accidents witnessed a marginal increase in the past three years. A total of 9,648 cases were registered in 2014 against 9,398 in 2011.