18.35 percent rape accused convicted in Odisha in 2018; Jharsuguda district records zero percent conviction

Bhubaneswar, 25/11: While there is nation-wide concern over growing crimes against women, Odisha records one of the lowest conviction rates in rape case. The conviction rate was as low as 18.35 percent in 2018, as admitted by the state government in the assembly. While the overall conviction rate  in rape cases was 18.35 percent, industrially advanced district of Jharsuguda recorded zero percent conviction.  According to the report of Director of Public Prosecution, Bhubaneswar, 11 rape cases were registered in Jharsuguda district in 2018. The cases ended in zero conviction as the accused in all the eleven cases got acquitted. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s home district Ganjam also recorded poor (3.44 percent) conviction rate. Out of total 58 rape case registered in the said year, there was conviction in only two cases and the accused were acquitted in the remaining 56 cases. The other districts with poor conviction rate were: Koraput ( 3.22 percent), Bhadrak ( 4.54 percent), Boudh ( 6.38 percent), Khordha (8.19 percent), Rayagada ( 8.69 percent), Puri (10 percent), Malkangiri (10.71 percent), Gajapati (12.5 percent), Cuttack (12.82 percent), Nayagarh (13.33 percent) and Balasore (16.41 percent) The district which performed well in terms of conviction were: Kandhamal (42.59 percent), Angul (33.33 percent), Mayurbhanj (30 percent), Deogarh (28.57 percent), Dhenkanal (28.57 percent), Jagatsinghpur ( 25.80 percent), Kendrapara (28.5 percent),  Jajpur ( 21.73  percent), Sundargarh (20 percent), Keonjhar (20.87 percent), Nuapada (19.23 percent) and Kalahandi (17.5 percent).