Bhubaneswar: The number of murder cases in Odisha have seen a marginal decrease in the past year, according to a new report by the state crime branch.

The report points to differences in murder rates between 2017 and 2016. There were reports of 1,267 murder cases in the state in 2017 that saw 697 men and 549 women killed. The corresponding figure for the previous year (2016) was 1,328. In 2016, 683 men and 659 women were killed.

Police said they had arrested 1,589 accused persons in connection with these murder cases in 2017. The cops also claimed that the percentage of detection in such cases was 84.4 per cent.

The crime branch report also revealed that there were 306 cases of dowry deaths in 2017.

It also stated that 115 deaths were caused by personal vendetta or enmity, 71 because of relationship problems, 50 due to property disputes and 32 murders for personal gain. However, there were no reports of single death because of violence from communal or caste clashes in 2017.