Odisha Reports Nearly 28,000 Crimes Against Women & Children In 11 Months

Nearly 28,000 women and children were victims of atrocities in Odisha over 11 months, from January 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida informed the state Assembly on Saturday. Responding to a query from BJD MLA Sanjib Kumar Mallick, Parida, who heads the Women and Child Development Department, cited data from the Crime Against Women and Children Wing of the Home Department. She revealed that 27,973 cases of atrocities against women and children were recorded during this period.

Jajpur district reported the highest number of cases, with 2,099 incidents, followed by Ganjam police district (1,823), Mayurbhanj (1,573), Bhadrak (1,371), Balasore (1,305), and Keonjhar (1,329). Other districts with significant cases include Dhenkanal (1,110), Cuttack (1,102), Jagatsinghpur (1,201), and Cuttack Urban police district (1,089).

The Odisha government has taken a number of actions to prevent crimes against women and children, such as creating Mahila and Sishu desks, Investigative Units on Crime Against Women (IUCAWs), Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPU), and Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Units (IAHTU). Along with emergency hotline lines for prompt assistance, 34 child-friendly police stations have been established, including 18004191813 (Sampark helpline), 1098 (children), 1930 (cybercrime), and 112 (women).