TNI Bureau: While the entire nation is mourning the death of Delhi gangrape victim and several groups and students have been demanding strong laws to control rape and murder in the country, Odisha government is facing criticism from all ends as crimes are on the rise in the state. The law and order situation in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has worsened. Despite a series of crime reports, police seem to be helpless to check it.
According to crime file, police registered 8,145 cases in 2012, the highest number of FIRs since the inception of twin city commissionerate in 2008. In 2011, 6,765 cases had been registered. While 82 murders were reported in the twin cities last year, only 61 cases were reported in 2011. Police registered 46 murder cases in the state capital and 36 in Cuttack last year.
Similarly, 432 burglaries were reported in twin cities last year as compared to 316 in 2011. Police registered a total of 1952 theft cases in Bhubaneswar, while its number was 1767 in 2011. A total of 250 swindling cases against fake financial firms, job consultancy, real estate and chit fund rackets were reported in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
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Even crime expanded its empire in the police department. Last year, commissionerate police public relations officer Rabi Chandro Nayak allegedly cheated job seekers taking lakhs of amount from them. The accused is still absconding.
The crime against women is rising in the state capital. The percentage of rape cases are higher than 2011. However, police denied the report that crimes went up in the twin cities. According to police, registration of the cases does not indicate that the crimes are rising in the cities; rather, it shows that people are coming forward to lodge their complaints.
Here is the list of Crime File
| Crime File | 2012 | 2011 |
| Rape cases | 84 | 54 |
| Murders | 82 | 61 |
| Pending case | 67.35% | 89.04% |
| Total cases reported | 8145 | 6765 |