India, Aug. 30 -- The Odisha government on Saturday authorised the sub-inspector and inspector-level police officers to investigate the cases registered under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, changing the earlier practice of entrusting officials above the rank of DySP to investigate such cases.

The state home department in a notification said the move would enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement in preventing and addressing atrocities against SC/ST communities. Home department officials said though the number of atrocity cases against SCs/STs are on a rise, the number of DSP rank officials is very low in the state.

"Odisha has 613 DySP rank officers whereas more than 4000 cases are be...