BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to ensure swift, time-bound and efficient investigation of crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), the state government is planning to set up special police stations to deal with such cases across the state.
Sources said, the ADG Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) had last month sent a proposal to the government for establishing 20 new ‘Anusuchit Jati O Janjati’ police stations to investigate cases registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The ADG had also requested for setting up a three-tier ‘Anusuchit Jati O Janjati’ wing at the Odisha Police Headquarters. The nodal unit will be tasked to address crimes against SC/ST communities, oversee departmental response, ensure proper registration of cases and facilitate timely and effective investigations. In its response, the Home department has asked the DGP to submit his views on the proposal so as to take further steps in this connection.
As per the available data, around 10,349 cases under SC and ST (PoA) Act were registered in the state between 2022 and 2024. Police districts of Jajpur, Cuttack (rural), Kendrapara, Balangir, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Puri, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Bhubaneswar UPD, Bargarh, Keonjhar, Kalahandi and Balasore persistently registered over 100 cases in the last three years.
However, the increasing case registration notwithstanding, Odisha currently has only one special police station at the state-level to deal with SC/ST atrocities, which is in stark contrast with neighbouring states like Jharkhand (24 special police stations) and Chhattisgarh (27 special police stations).
In the proposal, the ADG HRPC further pointed out that as of now, SDPOs and DSPs are entrusted with the responsibility of investigating cases registered under SC/ST (PoA) Act. But, due to their wide-ranging responsibilities, they often fail to complete investigation within the stipulated time of 60 days. This delay often leads to the witnesses turning hostile besides subsequent high rate of acquittals.
“The state government can empower the inspector-rank officers to arrest the accused booked under SC/ST (PoA) Act, conduct investigation and file chargesheets in the special courts,” read the proposal.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment runs a centrally-sponsored scheme for implementation of SC and ST (PoA) Rules, 1989 and Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955 at the state level. Under it, Odisha received `35.81 crore for preventing atrocities against STs and SCs and providing compensation to the victims, for the year 2024-25 (as on March 3, this year).
