Bhubaneswar: Crimes like rape, burglary, theft and swindling in Odisha showed an uptick in 2024 compared to 2023, according to a written reply by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi in the assembly on Monday.
The CM stated that the law and order situation remained under control, noting that serious offences like murder, dacoity and robbery went down after BJP formed the govt on June 12, 2024.
Data presented in the assembly revealed that total case registrations rose from 199,954 in 2023 to 214,113 in 2024, about a 7% increase. Rape incidents saw an 8% rise with 3,054 cases registered in 2024 compared to 2,826 in 2023.
In response to Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati’s query, the CM attributed the increased reporting of crimes to population growth, transparent crime registration procedures, and the state’s rapid economic development. “During the tenure of the new BJP govt, the law and order situation remained peaceful. After assuming office in June 2024, murder, dacoity and robbery came down,” stated Majhi.
According to the police, the increase in registration of cases does not mean that crimes increased. “We discourage suppression of crimes. We have a free and fair process for registration of cases. Bulk of the rape cases involved failed love affairs. Police took prompt action in all those cases and arrested the accused,” a senior police officer told TOI. He said that serious efforts are being made to curb property-related offences, economic and cyber crimes.
Majhi rejected allegations about criminals openly challenging police authorities in Bhubaneswar. The CM outlined various security initiatives implemented over the past eight months, including enhanced patrolling, deployment of informants under police station jurisdictions, weekly monitoring of repeat offenders at police stations, promotion of CCTV installation in residential areas, and strict action against those committing crimes against women.
Majhi highlighted that police forces were instructed to prioritise cases involving women, children and elderly victims. He emphasised the govt’s zero-tolerance approach towards crimes against women. The CM confirmed the ongoing provision of vehicles to police stations for improved patrolling. He assured adequate funding for infrastructure development and staffing at police stations to ensure public safety.