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Crimes against women and children are up by 5.6% in Odisha from 2024 to 2025, raising concerns over the day-by-day increase in heinous crimes against women and children, including rape, molestation, and murder, according to data by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
As per the Chief Minister's Office, "Official data from government statements and NCRB reports over the last two years highlight a persistent upward trend in several categories, even as some specific figures show marginal fluctuations. These incidents continue to dominate headlines, with brutal cases of sexual assault and killings of minors and women underscoring deep-rooted societal and systemic challenges." According to data presented by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in the Odisha Assembly, the state registered 2,994 rape cases and 7,382 molestation cases in 2025, up from around 30,958-32,687 in 2024. "Overall, crimes against women stood at 33,021 cases in 2025, up from around 30,958-32,687 in 2024, reflecting a roughly 5.6% rise in such offences. Other notable figures for 2025 include 1,183 sexual harassment cases, 7,378 abductions of women, 1,448 cases of public disrobing, 4,361 dowry torture cases, and 5,419 non-dowry torture incidents. While rape cases dipped slightly from 3,054 in 2024 to 2,994 in 2025, the numbers remain alarmingly high, averaging about eight rape cases daily in 2025. Molestation cases also stayed elevated at over 7,000", according to the data presented in the Assembly. Looking back, 2024 saw a notable 8% increase in rape cases compared to 2023, rising from 2,826 to 3,054. Overall cognizable crimes in the state jumped from 2,14,113 in 2024 to 2,29,881 in 2025, a 7.3% rise, with Bhubaneswar recording an even sharper 8.65% increase. Murder cases edged up marginally from 1,258 in 2024 to 1,304 in 2025. NCRB's Crime in India 2023 report placed Odisha among states with high crime rates against women, recording 25,914 cases that year (a 9.6% jump from 23,648 in 2022), with a conviction rate as low as 6.9%, far below the national average. The state has consistently ranked high in crimes against women in recent NCRB data. Crimes against children paint an equally grim picture. NCRB 2023 data showed 8,577 crimes against children in Odisha, up from 8,240 in 2022 and 7,899 in 2021. Kidnapping accounted for about 41% of these cases. Under the POCSO Act, thousands of sexual offence cases involving minors were reported, with a significant portion concerning girls. Recent years have seen multiple horrific incidents, including the rape and murder of young children, some resulting in death penalties by POCSO courts in 2025-2026. High-profile cases, such as the gangrape and murder of a 17-year-old tribal girl or a 23-year-old woman raped twice in one day before being killed, have intensified public outrage. Experts and opposition voices attribute the rise to factors like inadequate policing in rural areas, delayed justice, low conviction rates, and societal attitudes. While authorities point to some declines in specific crimes and efforts under new criminal laws (BNS), emphasising forensic evidence, critics argue that implementation remains weak. Missing women and children numbers have also been high in preceding years. Sovana Mohanty of the Odisha State Mahila Commission has strongly criticised the current situation, stating that it is not good for society and is highly dangerous. She emphasised that women should live with dignity and respect. Mohanty said the BJP government and the Mahila Commission are strongly working to effectively address the rising crimes against women and children. She further remarked that the root cause of these problems lies with parents who have not imparted proper sanskar (moral values and cultural upbringing) to their children, which she identified as the primary reason for the deteriorating state of society. (ANI)
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