Pokhara, May 15

Criminal cases have gone down significantly in the western development region during the first nine months of this fiscal in comparison to the previous year.

At a press meet at the western regional police office, Pokhara, today, data presented showed that criminal cases had decreased by 33 per cent compared to last year.

As many as 5,559 criminal cases were reported by this time last year, whereas only 3,619 cases were filed this year.

According to DIG Kamal Bahadur Bam, Kaski and Rupandehi had the highest number of criminal cases whereas Manang had the lowest this fiscal.

Of the total cases, 23 per cent are related to public offence, 19.5 per cent are suicide cases, 10 per cent are drug abuse cases, nine per cent are related to road accidents, 3.6 per cent are cases of theft, 3.5 per cent cases have to do with rape, and 0.6 percent of the cases are of human trafficking.

As many as 242 incidents of violence against women and children were said to have been reported this year at the press meet, data showed there were 267 incidents of violence against women and children during the same period last year.