Bhubaneswar, Dec 1 (IANS) Amid concerns over rising crimes against women in Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday said that 18 cases of harassment against women police personnel have been registered in the last three years, from 2023 to September 2025.

CM Majhi revealed the information while answering a query asked by Senior BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb in the Odisha Assembly on Monday.

These cases involve incidents reported in various police stations and offices across Balangir, Sundargarh, Rourkela, Rayagada, Keonjhar, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Boudh, Bhubaneswar, and Balasore.

The Chief Minister also told the house that strict legal action has been taken against all accused individuals involved in the said cases.

The Chief Minister outlined several measures that have been implemented to ensure a safe working environment for women in police establishments, including regular briefing and sensitisation of staff regarding conduct rules and workplace norms, mandatory formation of Internal Complaints Committees at all police stations and offices under the POSH Act, Comprehensive CCTV surveillance and necessary infrastructure enhancements for security.

He said that all cases of violence against women personnel are treated as special cases and monitored by senior district officers.

The Odisha Government has also imparted the women staff gender-sensitisation training, built separate restrooms and toilet facilities to ensure a safe working environment.

Similarly, strict anti-harassment policies, maternity and childcare benefits, and grievance redressal mechanisms are also in place at police stations and offices.

Interestingly, an Odisha Police Subedar was arrested in October this year on the charges of sexually exploiting a woman sub-inspector (SI) after allegedly assuring her of marriage.

A total of 40,947 cases of crimes against women have been registered in Odisha, as compared to 40,771 cases registered between April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

–IANS

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