Odisha police bring new criminal laws alive through live performances

Bhubaneswar: From the moment a crime is reported to the final conviction, every stage of the criminal justice process is being brought to life through dynamic live performances by the Odisha Police. This unique showcase forms part of their maiden ‘Nyaya Sanhita’ exhibition on India’s new criminal laws in the capital city.

The event, inaugurated on Friday at the IDCO exhibition ground, offers an immersive understanding of how justice unfolds step by step under India’s new criminal laws—the BNS, BNSS, and BSA which came into force on July 1, 2024, replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act.


Through different stalls and simulations, police personnel are enacting each stage of a criminal case — crime scene investigation, police response, forensic evidence collection, arrest of the accused, laboratory examination, courtroom trial, conviction and imprisonment — helping citizens understand the procedures.

DGP Y B Khurania said, “We are highlighting how the reforms promote scientific and technology-driven investigations, ensuring watertight cases and quick conviction. These reforms mark a decisive shift from a colonial punitive system to a justice-oriented one. They prioritize victims’ rights and dignity, mandate timely investigations and trials.”

During the launch of several projects in Bhubaneswar on Friday, Union home minister Amit Shah highlighted the growing importance of scientific and forensic investigation in strengthening the justice system. He said conviction rates have improved, with 87 out of every 100 accused now convicted in Odisha. Shah laid the foundation stone for a National Forensic Sciences University and a Central Forensic Science Laboratory in the state and inaugurated a transit campus of the NFSU. He said that online forensic laboratories will be established in one district of every state to expand access to modern investigative tools.

Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, “These state-of-the-art institutions will transform Odisha into a hub for forensic science education and give a new direction to criminal investigation. With advanced technology and skilled professionals, the process will become more transparent and efficient, ensuring timely justice. Our govt is committed to building Odisha as a safe and technologically empowered state.”Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !