The Odisha Police have successfully rescued a total of 17,590 women and children who had been reported missing, reuniting them with their families during a special operation that ran from January to June this year, as reported in an official statement released on Sunday. Among those rescued, 12,177 were women and 5,413 were children. Puri district saw the highest number of women rescued, totaling 3,713, followed by Jajpur with 820 and Ganjam with 581.

In terms of children, Puri also led the way with 1,161 rescues, trailed by the Bhubaneswar urban police district with 399 and Mayurbhanj district with 278. Throughout the first half of the year, there were 10,605 women and 4,873 children reported missing from various police jurisdictions, including 4,334 girls, 538 boys, and one transgender individual.

A police official noted that the drive not only rescued individuals reported missing in the past but also identified and helped those whose disappearances had not been officially documented. The police department plans to intensify this initiative as it prioritizes the safety of women and children in the region.