BHUBANESWAR: Covid-induced lockdown and weekend shutdown didn’t help contain crimes as rape, robbery, burglary, theft and swindling cases went up in the capital city during January-November this year than the corresponding 11 months in 2020. Suicide cases too saw an upward trend during the period.
Lockdown came into force from May 5 in the wake of the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. The government imposed partial lockdown from June to August.
As per the statistics shared by the commissionerate police, rape cases increased by about 1.8%, robbery cases soared by 65%, burglary rose by 33.5%, theft cases increased by 12% and swindling cases witnessed a rise by 80% during the first 11 months this year as compared to the corresponding period last year.
Police said the rape cases increased from 106 in 2020 (till November) to 108 this year (till November), swindling cases from 440 to 791, theft cases from 1684 to 1880, burglary cases from 319 to 426 and robbery cases went up from 330 to 547 during the period.
The statistics indicated a slight drop in murder cases—from 40 cases during the eleven months in 2020 to 32 during the period this year and dacoity cases—from 32 during January-November 2020 to 9 cases during the period this year.
Asked about the reason for a rise in crimes notwithstanding the lockdown and weekend shutdown, the police said registration of more number of cases does not mean crimes increased. “More than 90% of the rape cases resulted from cases of elopements where the accused and rape survivors were known to each other. We are not worried about registration of more number of cases. Certain crimes, which cannot be prevented, will occur. Our focus is to register cases and solve them,” a senior police officer said.
The data showed around 21% rise in suicide cases in the capital city during January-November as compared to the corresponding period during the last year. While 229 persons had committed suicide during the time in 2020, the figure has climbed to 277 (190 male, 87 female) this year.
“In most cases, depression over family, personal and marital matters prompted people to end their lives. 119 of them died after consuming poison, 135 hanged themselves to death and 23 committed suicide by drowning,” the police officer said.
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEMail
.