Rape cases on the rise in Odisha

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Mar 27: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today claimed in the Odisha Assembly that the overall crime situation remained under control during 2014, but a white paper tabled by Home Department told a disturbing story about rising number of rape case cases in the State.As many as 2,011 rape cases were registered by the State police in 2014, against 1,832 rape cases in 2013 and 1,458 rape cases in 2012.A total of 271 rape cases have been registered this year so far, according to the white paper tabled in the State Assembly.Patnaik said that a series of steps have been taken to expedite the investigation of cases.Special Public Prosecutors are being engaged for speedy trial of sensitive cases, he added.He said that recruitment for Additional Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors have been completed.As a significant step to improve the scientific investigation of cases, a modern DNA profiling unit has been created in the State Forensic Science Laboratory, Patnaik informed while making a statement on the expenditure of Home Department in the Assembly.In order to prevent trafficking of women and children, 25 more integrated anti human trafficking units have been sanctioned to cover all districts of the State in addition to the existing 12 units, he said.The Chief Minister admitted that there has been substantial improvement in the overall containment of Maoist situation in the State.“The intensity of Maoist activity is on the decline now and there was perceptible improvement in the situation in the districts like Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundargarh and Nayagarh during the year,” he said.However, the situation remains sensitive in districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Bolangir, Patnaik added.