The Odisha Police have successfully rescued a total of 1,209 missing children, including 1,078 girls and 6,667 missing women, so far in 2025 through a series of special drives, officials said.
A significant portion of these rescues, 358 children and 2,059 women, were made during a special five-day operation called ‘Operation Anweshan,’ which was conducted from August 18 to August 22 throughout Odisha, an official statement said.
The Puri district police were particularly effective in this operation, rescuing the highest numbers with 45 children and 504 women. They were followed by Bhadrak with 37 children and 318 women, and Cuttack with 21 children and 304 women, it said.
In addition to ‘Operation Anweshan,’ the police conducted three other special drives earlier in the year in February, April and May.
The police rescued 139 children and 593 women during the drive conducted in February, while 421 children and 3,073 women were rescued in the drive ran in April, the statement said.
In the special drive conducted in May, a total of 291 missing children and 942 women were traced and rescued. The special drive was conducted from May 19 to May 22, 2025, it added.
