Odisha registered 83,960 criminal cases in 2012 marking 14 per cent more than the total number of crimes which took place the previous year, according to a White Paper tabled in the state Assembly today.

There was a rise in major crimes like murder, rape, dowry torture, riots, loot, theft while the number of road accidents declined during 2012, the annual white paper of the state home department said.

While there was a sharp rise in rape cases, which increased from 1,112 in 2011 to 1,458 in 2012, the White Paper claimed that growing awareness among the people contributed to more number of reports at police stations.

A majority of rape cases were lodged due to unrestricted relationship between boys and girls with hope of marriage. But when marriages could not materialise, allegations of rape were made in different police stations, it said, adding that at least 208 such rape cases were reported in 2012.

Of the 1,458 rape cases registered, 417 cases were convicted while 928 cases were chargsheeted, the paper said, adding that the number of dowry torture cases in 2012 were 4,898 out of which 526 cases were related to murder for dowry while 82 cases of suicide. Of the remaining 3,054 cases, charge-sheets were filed on 1,608 cases.

The highest number of rape incidents took place in tribal dominated Keonjhar district where 102 such cases had been reported in 2012 followed by 87 in Balasore, 86 in Mayurbhanj and 65 in Rourkela.

While cases of murder and plunder increased by 1.8 per cent and 13.3 per cent respectively, more number of theft cases were registered in 2012. Similarly, crimes related to culpable crimes, culpable homicide, plunder and cheating also increased in 2012 than the previous year, the white paper said.

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