The cause of sudden rise in crime figures in Jharsuguda is attributed to shortage of police personnel in the industrially rich mining district. Police are on their toes due to a spurt in crimes like attack over business rivalry in mines, murder and sexual abuse.
More than one thousand cases have been registered only in Jharsuguda police station in a year. In such a situation, many posts of police personnel are lying vacant for years together for which maintaining law and order in the district has become a Herculean task.
In Jharsuguda district, there are two police sub divisions such as Jharsuguda and Brajrajnagar. Under the Jharsuguda police sub division, four police stations are operating like Jharsuguda, Badmal, Kolabira and Laikera while in Brajrajnagar police sub-division, the police stations are in Brajrajnagar, Orient, Belpahar, Banharpali, Lakhanpur and Rengali.
Besides these 10 regular police stations, one energy police station also operates in the district. Sources in District Police Office said that many posts are vacant in these police stations. Four Sub Inspectors are posted in place of eight in Jharsuguda police station.
Five Assistant Sub Inspectors are available in place of seven, while a constable and four OSAPF posts are lying vacant in the police station.
In Badmal police station, posts of four SIs, two ASIs, seven constables are vacant. In Kolabira, four SI, two ASI and 2 OSAPF posts are vacant. In Laikera, four SI posts are vacant. Likewise in Brajrajnagar, one SI, three ASI and six OSAPF posts are lying vacant. In Orient, two ASI posts are vacant. In Belpahar, posts of four ASI, two constable and three OSAPF are vacant.
In Banharpali, one SI, one ASI and five OSAPF posts are vacant. In Lakhanpur, three ASI and one ASAPF posts are vacant. In Rengali, one ASI and three OSAPF posts are vacant.
All posts are vacant in Energy PS. Here one Inspector, two SI, two ASI, one Havaldar posts remain vacant. In place of 12 constables, five are working in the police station.
These mounting vacancies are having a debilitating effect on the police, who are facing problems to maintain law and order.