Berhampur: Minor children are increasingly taking to crime in the Silk City. This came to light as names of over 102 children figured in various criminal cases over last three years, a report said.
Reports said that crimes committed by children under statutory age are described as juvenile delinquency.
As per data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), juvenile criminals between ages 16 and 18 accounted for more than 60 per cent of the crimes registered against minors in India in 2013.
The city has produced various dreaded criminals in the past. Many of these criminals form their own gangs to establish their supremacy and hegemony in the town.
As the number of minors stepping into the field of crime has increased alarmingly, it has become a headache for the law-enforcement agencies as well as the denizens.
According to reports, these minors do not hesitate to commit any type of crime including serious and heinous crimes. They have reportedly taken to this field to lead a lavish and luxurious lifestyle, experts said.
According to available records, over 102 minors have been arrested on charge of committing various crimes during last three years – from 2018 to 2020.
As many as 22 minors were arrested in 19 cases in 2018, while it was 41 minors in 38 cases in 2019. In 2020, 39 were arrested in connection with 31 cases.
A review of some of the crimes in the city over last few years indicates that there is an increase in involvement of minors in crimes. The gruesome murder of a professor couple or the killing of dreaded anti-social Chicken Ravi took place with the involvement of minors.
Minors have been found involved in many robberies, snatchings, attempts to murder and rape cases in the city. The murder of a woman at Ramnagar in Kamapali area in 2014 led to the arrest of a minor, who killed the woman after she resisted his attempt to rob.
The minor decided to loot the woman after he lost all his money in IPL betting, police said. Similarly, police arrested a rickshaw-puller and his five minor accomplices in a case involving cash loot from Jagannath temple at Courtpeta under Baidyanathpur police limits in 2016.
Three minors on a bike assaulted a truck driver and robbed him of cash at Bhabanagar Square on New BusStand Road the same year. Two minors were arrested on charge of theft of`3 lakh from a bike showroom at Khodasingi under Baidyanathpur police limits, December 20, 2020.
Similarly, two minors were arrested for the murder of a youth at Masihakhali village under Sadar police limits during New Year celebration, December 31, 2020.
Later, five minors were arrested in connection with the murder of Rabi Pradhan, January 18, at Mahurikalua Square under Sadar police limits in the city.
A close analysis of the cases suggests that the major contributing factors to juvenile crimes include peer pressure, bad company, poor education, poor socioeconomic status, substance abuse, parents’ neglect and an urge to earn big to lead a lavish lifestyle.
PNN
