Berhampur: Odisha’s southern police range witnessed a rise in sexual assault cases and property crimes in 2024, while recording a decline in other heinous crimes, according to official data.
The police range, comprising Ganjam, Berhampur, Kandhamal, Boudh and Gajapati, reported 425 rape cases in 2024, up from 398 in 2023. Ganjam topped the list with 152 cases, followed by Kandhamal (114), Berhampur (74), Gajapati (72) and Boudh (13).
Property crimes also saw an uptick, with robbery cases increasing from 177 to 187. Swindling cases rose to 660 from 627, while thefts jumped to 1,611 from 1,507 in 2023.
However, there was a significant drop in murder cases, from 195 in 2023 to 130 in 2024. Ganjam recorded the highest number of murders (53), followed by Berhampur (27), Kandhamal (23), Boudh (14) and Gajapati (13).
Other crimes also showed a declining trend. While dacoity cases fell from 61 to 48, rioting incidents decreased from 229 to 221. Motor vehicle accidents reduced from 1,258 to 1,235. Total number of cognisable cases in the range decreased marginally from 30,967 in 2023 to 30,705 in 2024.
A senior police officer attributed the decline in heinous crimes to “strict alertness and intensified patrolling”.