Under BJP rule, Odisha reports 37,611 crimes against women in just 14 months

Odisha has reported 37,611 cases of crime against women since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed power in the State, the Legislative Assembly was informed on Monday (September 22, 2025).

Responding to a query from Congress MLA Sofia Firdous, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that between June 1, 2024 and July 31, 2025, a total of 37,611 cases of crimes against women — including rape, attempt to rape, molestation, sexual harassment, and public disrobing — were registered in the State.

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Molestation topped the list with 9,181 cases, followed by abduction of women (8,227), non-dowry torture (6,134), and dowry torture (5,464). During the same period, 2,933 rapes and 1,278 cases of sexual harassment were reported, along with 2,161 incidents of public disrobing.

Out of these cases, 799 have resulted in convictions, of which 426 were related to rape.

The Assembly was further informed that Odisha has crossed the 30,000 mark in crimes against women on three occasions in the past five years. The year 2021 was the worst, with 35,326 cases recorded, while the numbers remained consistently above 30,000 in both 2023 and 2024.

Mr. Majhi responded in the written reply that important and sensitive cases against women, including rape, sexual assault on minors and acid attack, were being monitored and supervised by Superintendents of Police and Additional SPs.  During community policing (Ama Police Samiti) outreach programmes by police, women were being encouraged to report their problems freely and fearlessly to police, he pointed out.

While investigative units on Crime Against Women (IUCAW) was functioning in 29 districts which takes up investigation of important and sensitive cases of Crime against Women, Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) dial -112 was offering timely, prompt and sensitive response to women in distress, he informed.

According to Odisha CM, as many as 24 special courts under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) were functioning to expedite trials in sexual offences against children. Steps were being taken by the district police to improve patrolling in important public places to prevent sexual harassment of women.

Similarly, due to an increase in self-immolation cases of women and girls, instructions have been issued to all district superintendents of police to take prompt action on the complaints received from women and girls.