17,590 Missing Women and Children Traced by Odisha Police in Six Months

03 Aug 2026, 07:04 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Odisha Police rescued 17,590 missing women and children across the state between January and June 2025, with authorities crediting sustained search operations and coordinated action by specialised police units for the large-scale recovery effort.

The figures, released by the state police, show that 15,775 women and 1,815 children were traced and reunited with their families during the six-month period. Among the rescued children were 476 boys and 1,339 girls, reflecting the continued focus on locating vulnerable minors reported missing from different parts of Odisha.

Police officials said the recoveries were made through continuous investigations, coordinated operations across districts and close collaboration among law enforcement agencies. The efforts also involved specialised units tasked with handling cases involving women and children, while teams worked both within Odisha and in other states whenever required to trace missing persons.

Director General of Police Y B Khurania said rescuing missing women and children remains one of the force’s highest priorities. He noted that every successful recovery represents not just a policing achievement but the restoration of families who had been living with uncertainty.

Odisha Police has strengthened its response by deploying dedicated personnel, improving coordination among district units and making greater use of technology in investigations. The department is also enhancing the capacity of its Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Units (IAHTUs) by increasing manpower, training personnel and expanding technological support to combat trafficking and trace missing persons more effectively.

Khurania has emphasised that trafficking remains a serious concern for Odisha because of its socio-economic and geographical vulnerabilities. He said the crime takes multiple forms, including sexual exploitation, forced labour and the trafficking of children for domestic work, while some young women are lured under the pretext of employment or marriage. The police, he added, are reinforcing cooperation with child protection agencies, labour departments, non-governmental organisations and authorities in other states to dismantle trafficking networks and ensure rescued victims receive rehabilitation in addition to recovery.

Officials stressed that rescue operations alone are not enough and that long-term rehabilitation and preventive measures are equally critical. They said data analytics, surveillance tools and digital platforms are increasingly being used to identify suspects, track trafficking networks and locate missing individuals more efficiently.