Public Safety / Odisha Police Rescue 17,590 Missing Women and Children in First Half of 2026

Bhubaneswar, Aug 1: Odisha Police has achieved a major success in tracing and rescuing missing women and children across the state.

Between January and June 2026, police rescued 17,590 missing persons, reuniting them safely with their families.

Under the direct supervision of Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania and with the efforts of the Crime Against Women & Children (CAW & CW) wing, coordinated investigations and interstate cooperation played a crucial role in achieving this milestone.

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During this period, 4,873 children were reported missing, including 538 boys, 4,334 girls, and one transgender child. Police successfully rescued 5,413 children, surpassing the reported cases.

Puri district led the rescue efforts with 1,161 children traced, followed by Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (399) and Mayurbhanj (278).

Similarly, 10,605 women were reported missing in the first six months of 2026. Odisha Police rescued 12,177 women, again exceeding the reported numbers.

Puri district topped the list with 3,713 women rescued, followed by Jajpur (820) and Ganjam (581). With 1,161 children and 3,713 women rescued, Puri emerged as the best-performing district in the state.

The police have been conducting regular special drives under ‘Operation Anwesan’ to trace missing persons. Two such operations have already been carried out this year.

In the most recent drive, held between July 18 and July 22, police rescued 321 children (35 boys and 286 girls) and 2,434 women.

Odisha police emphasized that women and child safety remains a top priority. The police plan to intensify such special operations in the coming months to ensure faster recovery of missing persons and strengthen public trust.