Crime rates soared by 25 per cent last fiscal

Kathmandu, August 16

Figures of the last five years released by Nepal Police show that crime rates in the country have seen a spike each passing year.

According to the statistics, the country recorded 27,386 incidents of crime in the fiscal 2013-14, 28,070 in 2014-15, 28,563 in 2015-16, 31,462 in 2016-17 and 39,315 in 2017-18. Crimes rates increased by 24.96 per cent in 2017-18 compared to the previous fiscal. This shows an increasing trend in overall crime rates every year and exposes the tall claim of the government that peace and security situation in the country is improving. The crime rate in 2017-18 was the highest compared to the previous four fiscals.

Number of crimes against women and children, including rapes, increased to 3,295 in 2017-18 from 2,439 in 2016-17, social crimes to 14,450 from 10,256, organised and financial crimes to 4,656 from 3,593, thefts to 1,628 from 1,617, suicides to 5,317 from 5,124 and accidental deaths and murders and attempted murders to 6,405 from 5,904.

Similarly, 2,320 persons were killed in road accidents in 2017-18 compared to 2,150 the previous fiscal, up by 7.6 per cent. Rape cases are also on an upsurge, posing a threat to safety of women and children in the country. A total of 1,480 rape cases had been registered in 2017-18 against 1,131 in 2016-17. Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Thapa Keshetri, Nepal Police spokesperson, attributed the increase in rape cases to increased public awareness and improved reporting.

The report also claims that  police maintain zero tolerance towards any form of violence against women and children. Police also urged people to immediately report to the law enforcement agency if they are subjected to physical or mental torture by anyone. Security officials conceded that the crime rate was yet to subside and blamed it on unemployment and financial temptation. Crime rates are higher in big cities than in small ones and rural areas because chances of being recognised and arrested in a large mobile population is lower.