Jajpur: The mineral-rich and industrialised Jajpur district has turned into a safe haven for criminals, who are predominantly from outside the region. These criminals are committing crimes in broad daylight at crowded public places like roads, police stations, and even near the office of Superintendent of Police (SP) before escaping the scene. Robberies at jewellery shops have become alarmingly frequent. Despite efforts by local law enforcement agencies, many perpetrators evade arrest, emboldening them to strike back. The majority of these criminals remain at large, while a low apprehension rate prompts offenders to commit crimes in an organised manner.
In Kalinganagar industrial area, workers from outside the state are frequently employed through consultancy agencies from outside the state. This influx of people from states such as Bihar, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh has reportedly contributed to the rise in criminal activities. Persons with criminal records are hiding in colonies, slums near industrial and mining zones. Efforts by the police to capture these offenders or people in hiding have yielded limited success, leaving many dangerous individuals untraceable. This has resulted in the continuation of violent crimes, including armed robberies. The shocking loot and firing at ‘Panda Alankar’, a jewellery shop near the SP office at Panikoili, January 4, is a case in point where robbers shot dead two innocent people. The incident has raised serious questions on public safety and the efficiency of the police. Even after seven days, the cops have failed to arrest three other culprits while locals managed to capture two of the robbers and hand them over to the police. The arrested were identified as Shubham Saha, 33, alias Raja from Suhirdanagar village under Mofussil police station in Begusarai district, Bihar, and Madhukant Kumar, 24, alias Rana from Nagara Rampur village under Gaura police station in Saran district of Bihar. Police revealed that the two frequently change their names and addresses to avoid detection.
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Residents of Jajpur are calling on authorities to enhance security measures, enforce stricter vigilance, and address the rising crime rate to ensure the safety of their lives and property. To gather more information about other suspects, the district police have filed a petition in Jajpur Road JMFC Court to take Raja and Rana on remand.
Meanwhile, a separate police team has reportedly travelled to Bihar for further investigation. Similarly, police have neither obtained significant leads nor arrested any suspects in the 2023 robbery at Senco Gold & Diamonds, a jewellery store in Jajpur Road. Observers believe that failure by the district police in apprehending the culprits has led to an increase in such incidents. Neighboring state police forces, however, have demonstrated greater effectiveness by arresting criminals, prompting offenders to relocate their operations. It is suspected that some criminals have formed alliances with notorious gangsters and expanded their operations. Some high-profile gangsters lodged in jails reportedly continue to run their criminal empires with the help of these criminals. The intelligence unit of state police has been criticised for failing to monitor which suspects are being released from jail or track those fleeing the district. Furthermore, regular reviews of criminal cases are reportedly not being conducted, and senior police officials are allegedly avoiding active investigative roles. As a result, crime rates continue to rise, and external offenders are finding a safe haven in the district. When contacted, Jajpur SP Yashpratap Shrimal did not respond to the phone call of this correspondent.
