In a major six-month initiative conducted from January to June this year, the Odisha Police successfully rescued and reunited 17,590 missing women and children with their families, according to an official release issued on Sunday.
Of the rescued persons, 12,177 are women and 5,413 minors.
Puri district accounted for the highest number of rescued women at 3,713, followed by Jajpur with 820 and Ganjam with 581, the release said.
Puri also logged the highest count of rescued children (1,161), with the Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (399) and Mayurbhanj district (278) following next.
During the first half of the year, formal missing complaints were registered across various police jurisdictions for 10,605 women and 4,873 children – a minor demographic that includes 4,334 girls, 538 boys, and one transgender child.
“Some women and children whose missing reports were lodged earlier were also rescued during the period. Besides, some women and children whose disappearances were not reported were also rescued during the drive,” a police officer said.
The special drive will gain further momentum in the upcoming period as the Odisha Police maintains a zero-tolerance focus on the security and protection of women and minors, the officer added.
