A total of 3,069 criminal cases have been recorded across the country between February 13 to March 14 this year, as per the monthly bulletin published by the Nepal Police, on Tuesday.

According to the bulletin, social crimes were the highest with 759 cases followed by 485 cases of suicide, 334 cases of narcotics, 295 cases of bank fraud, 190 cases of deaths in road accidents and 155 cases of rape, among others.

The yearly record of the Nepal Police also shows that the number of social crimes is gradually increasing in the Valley as well as across the country. In the last fiscal year, 14,450 cases of social crimes were recorded across the country in comparison to the 10,256 cases in 2016/17 and the 8,689 cases in 2015/16.

“The monthly data fluctuates so we rely on the yearly record for a more concrete analysis of criminal activities,” DSP Umesh Raj Joshi, acting spokesperson of Nepal Police, told the Post. “ However, the number of recorded crimes is increasing because the number of people reporting criminal cases is also on the rise.”

Similarly, 95 cases of polygamy, 70 cases of attempt to rape, 62 cases of attempt to murder and 40 cases of murder has been recorded during the one-month period.

Likewise, 279 cases of missing children were reported during the one month period, of which only 80 children were recovered. The bulletin also shows that four tourists died in the country in the last month.

According to the police, they have been undertaking various steps to prevent and control crimes.

A total of 1,724 programmes were organised under the community-police partnership campaign in the last one month to increase awareness among the general public, and for better coordination between the police and the public in order to curb criminal activities. Similarly, 384 programmes to increase awareness about the ill effects of drug use were organised.

“Along with increasing awareness among the public, Nepal Police are also looking closely into investigations of unsolved cases,” said Joshi. “Nepal Police has also increased the use of technology and resources to solve criminal cases.”

The digital forensic lab of the police is said to have examined 159 evidences while the central police forensic science laboratory has examined 987 evidences in the last month.

Similarly, canines were used 384 times in the last month to investigate crimes. According to the bulletin, 55 suspects faced polygraph tests last month.

Likewise, 219 culprits have been arrested in the last month across the country.