Police detects 5,912 smoking cases in the state capital

Bhubaneswar, Jan 12 (PTI) A total 5,912 cases ofviolation of Control of Tobacco Product Act (COTPA), 2003 weredetected in Bhubaneswar and Rs 6,89,450 fine realised duringthe past 10 months.

Commissioner of police B K Sharma said the cases werereported from 15 of the state capital''s 19 police stationareas.COTPA was implemented in the area under thejurisdiction of the commissionrate of police since March, 2010and would be strictly enforced in Cuttack too this year, hesaid.

The police is planning to implement 6(a) of COTPAwhich prohibited sale of cigarettes to persons below 18 yearsin the city and school and college students would be madeaware of the ill effects, he said.

Sharma said the number of organised crime had droppedfrom 6935 cases in 2009 to 6817 in 2010 in the twin cities ofCuttack and Bhubaneswar but there was rise in the incidencesof murder, rape and theft cases.

The number of murder cases rose from 51 in 2009 to 63in 2010 and rape cases from 46 to 60.

There was also a rise in the number of motor vehicleaccidents. While 274 persons died due to road mishaps in 2009,it was 299 in 2010. Of them 55 per cent were reported from thecity area and the rest on the national highway.