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Staff crunch hits working of State Crime Branch

CUTTACK: At a time when more and more victims are demanding for crime branch police investigations, the premier investigating wing of the State police is suffering from acute staff crunch.

“Due to nearly 45 per cent vacancies, the crime branch is unable to register more number of cases. We are very selective and are taking up only important and sensitive cases for investigations”, says the State Crime Branch IG B.K.Sharma.

The State crime branch took up 42 cases in 2005 and submitted 46 charge sheets in the same year after investigating pending cases. In the following year, while the crime branch registered 52 cases charge sheets in 2006 only 23 cases were submitted. This year till September, 38 cases have been registered while investigations into 51 cases have been completed and charge sheets submitted, informed Mr. Sharma.

Speaking to newsmen here at police headquarters recently, the top cop pointed out that in comparison to most of the eastern states of the country, Orissa is less crime prone.

But this year, the State has witnessed increase in incidences of murder, robbery, theft and rioting. While dacoity, burglary, swindling and rape cases have come down in 2007 in comparison to last year.

According to statistics available from State crime branch police, the State has witnessed a decline in overall registration of cognizable offences till September this year in comparison to corresponding period in 2006. While 50,175 cognizable cases were registered in the State in the first nine months of 2006, the number of cases registered till September 2007 were 49,736, a decline of 0.8 per cent, the statistics said.

Similarly, the number of cognizable crimes in the State is also less in comparison to most of its neighbouring states like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Chhatisgarh.

Quoting national crime bureau sources, Mr. Sharma said while only 133.4 crimes are recorded per one lakh population in Orissa, it is 165.3 in Bihar, 196.9 in Andhra Pradesh and 193.2 in Chhatisgarh. But other neighbouring states like West Bengal (78.1) and Jharkhand (121.8) are comparatively less crime prone than Orissa.

While the incidences of murder, robbery, rioting and other cognizable cases are increasing in the State every year, most of the cases are remaining unsolved for several years pending investigations as a result the innocent victims do not get justice in time. In many instances, victims do not trust the general police and demand for crime branch investigation seeking remedy.

But crime branch police at times fail to deliver the goods for acute staff shortage.

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