Bhubaneswar: Odisha is in the fifth position in the country regarding the number of deaths due to fire mishaps at commercial buildings during the year 2016. Similarly, the state witnessed deaths of more number of women than men due to fire mishaps in the state during 2016.
The information was revealed after the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) recently released an exhaustive report on ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides’ in the country for the year 2016. After an unreasonable delay of around three years, NCRB released the data which has been considered authoritative and is often quoted by researchers.
The data revealed that 425 people including 153 men and 272 women died in 424 accidental fire incidents that occurred in the state in 2016. The state witnessed 38 (27 male and 11 female) deaths due to fire at commercial buildings in 2016.
Notably, the unfortunate fire tragedy at SUM hospital was responsible for the high number of deaths under the category in the state.
Similarly, as many as 68 housewives lost their lives while 21 men died during the period due to fire mishaps caused by cylinder and gas stove blasts in the state. The state recorded the death of 106 females as compared to the death of only 42 males in fire accidents at residential buildings in 2016. The women victims (153) outnumbered male victims (82) in 234 fire mishaps that occurred in buildings other than commercial and residential in the state during 2016 as well.
Meanwhile, the report confirms lightning was another major cause of accidental deaths in Odisha during 2016. Lightning caused 376— estimated at over 80 per cent— of accidental deaths out of the total 467 due to natural forces in the state. Lightning has been a major cause of concern for the state that has been continuing with many awareness programmes to lessen the number of deaths.
The state also ranked third in the country regarding the number of deaths due to attacks by wild animals apart from snakebites during the year 2016. There were 101 deaths (69 male and 32 female) in 99 incidents of animal attacks including attacks by elephants in 2016.
This apart, the NCRB report reveals that the state witnessed a decrease in the number of suicide and traffic accident cases in the state in 2016 as compared to 2015. However, suicides under certain categories recorded an increase in 2016. As many as 62 persons ended their life following fall in their social reputation as against 31 such cases reported in 2015. Similarly, more youths committed suicide following broken relationships in 2016 than the previous year.
