The ever-increasing incidents of looting, extortion, bombing, burgling and murder under the Ganjam and Brahmapur police districts have not only created panic among the denizens but also raised a question mark on the ability of the local police administration to control the crimes.
According to information available, around 5,000 NBWs (non-bailable warrants) are pending operation in the Brahmapur and Ganjam police districts. While the number of NBWs pending action in the Ganjam police district is over 4,000, that under the Brahmapur police district is more than 800, which include 190 NBWs under the Town police station, 153 under the Baidyanathpur police station, 111 under the Badabazar PS, 98 under the Sadar PS, 16 under the Gosaninuagam PS, 43 under the Gopalpur PS, 46 under the Golanthara PS, 37 under the Nuagam PS, 105 under the Digapahandi PS and 39 under the Jarada PS.
The police, however, arrested 105 criminals only in the month of June this year under the Brahmapur police district alone and seized a country-made revolver from one of them. While 57 of the 105 criminals arrested are reportedly professional criminals, the remaining 88 were arrested on the basis of the previous warrants pending against them. In addition to this, the police also arrested 13 liquor mafias and forwarded them to court. Besides, the police also collected fine of Rs 1,50,530 from 836 persons who violated the traffic norms, sources revealed.
According to police records, under the Ganjam police district having 22 police stations, a total number of 3,313 cases were registered in connection with different crimes in the year 2011, while the number of cases registered in 2012 rose to 3,742 in 2012, followed by 1,595 cases registered up to May in 2013.
The Brahmapur police district with 13 police stations under its ambit registered 1,969 cases in 2011; 2,218 cases in 2012; and 938 cases up to May this year in 2013, the sources said. The record further reveals that during the last two and a half years, around 13,000 persons involved in some crime or the other have been arrested under the Ganjam police district.
These statistics clearly show that the rate of crimes and, more so, the cases of murder under the Ganjam police district are higher compared to the Brahmapur police district. According to a report, the number of loots, dacoits, burglary, extortion, and eve-teasing are more in the Brahmapur police district compared to murder as these crimes constitute 1,111 cases.
The more serious concern of the police is the rising cases of road accidents under both the police districts. As many as 273 cases of accidents were reported in 2011; 299 accident cases were registered in 2012; and 120 cases have been reported up to May in 2013 under the Brahmapur police district. Similarly, under the Ganjam police district more than 400 accidents were reported during 2011 and 2012, followed by 213 cases of accidents registered up to May this year.