Bhubaneswar, Dec 8: In a significant development, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the Odisha Assembly that 1,209 missing children have been rescued this year under the state government’s special initiative 'Operation Anweshan'.

Of the 1,209 children traced, 1,078 are girls and 131 are boys. Along with the children, authorities also rescued 6,667 missing women during the same period, the Chief Minister said in his written reply on Monday.

Drowning Deaths Cross 1,800 in Three Years
Odisha continues to grapple with rising drowning fatalities, with official data showing that 1,750 people have died in river drownings and 82 have drowned in the sea between 2022 and 2025.

The figures — shared by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in response to a question by BJD MLA Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantaray — reveal deeply concerning district-wise trends:

Cuttack: 179 deaths
Keonjhar: 160
Mayurbhanj: 154
Sambalpur: 107
Kendrapara: 110

In 2025 alone, drowning has claimed 427 lives, underscoring a serious and growing public safety concern.

Two recent incidents highlighted the recurring risks:
Koraput Waterfall Tragedy
In August, 22-year-old Berhampur YouTuber Sagar Tudu — known online as Sagar Kundu — went missing after being swept away while shooting drone footage at Duduma waterfall. A sudden rise in water level left him stranded on rocks. Viral videos showed people attempting a rope rescue, but the strong current pulled him away.

Also Read: Odisha Women Bear Nearly Entire Family Planning Burden as Men Continue to Avoid Vasectomy

Cuttack Birupa River Incident
On December 4, the body of Udit Sahoo of Lingipur, Bhubaneswar, was recovered after his car plunged into the Birupa River the previous night. While locals managed to rescue another occupant, Sahoo remained missing until ODRAF and Fire Services teams located his body during an intensive search operation.