Kathmandu, December 17

As many as 9,975 suspects gave police the slip after committing criminal offences in the past two years.

Statistics of the Crime Investigation Department show that 29,996 suspects were arrested in the fiscal 2014/15 and 33,247 in 2015/16 across the county. It is an increase of approximately 10.14 per cent.

Despite more arrests, 4,985 and 4,690 of the crime suspects absconded in 2014/15 and 2015/16 respectively. “Police dealt with 27,286 cases and arrested 25,011 suspects while 4,985 others absconded in 2014/15. This means 17 per cent of crime suspects gave police the slip,” read the statistics.

Similarly, police nabbed 28,557 in connection with 28,070 reported crimes, while 4,690 absconded in 2015/16. The arrest to absconding ratio is 86:14 per cent. The total number of suspects arrested by police exceeds the registered cases as more than one person were involved in some criminal and civil offences.

Police said search for the absconders was under way and all of them would be brought to book, no matter how long it might take. In recent times, police have also succeeded in apprehending suspects or convicts of some crimes which even date back to 25 years.

Incidents of attempted rape (33.5 per cent), banking offence (33.3 per cent), polygamy (12.7 per cent), citizenship-related offences (12.2 per cent), witchcraft accusation (10.3 per cent), unnatural sex (10 per cent), fraud (9.5 per cent), rape (7.8 per cent), attempted murder (7.5 per cent) and drug smuggling (4.9 per cent) shot up in 2015/16 compared to the last fiscal.

However, reported cases of human trafficking, public offences, arms and ammunition, murder, cyber crime, forced abortion, kidnapping, robbery, caste discrimination and untouchability, extortion, bombing and domestic violence have decreased.

The overall crime rate has dropped by 1.76 per cent in 2015/16, according to statistics.

“Making the criminal justice system more effective is the need of the hour to put an end to the culture of impunity. Rule of law is the bedrock of peace and security.

Therefore, the government should pay special attention to equip Nepal Police with technology-based crime prevention and investigation system to address security concerns,” said a police official.