On Monday, in response to allegations of custodial violence against an Army captain and his fiancée in Bhubaneshwar, the Odisha government has urged police to follow zero-tolerance policy toward crimes against women. Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan remarked, “Our govt is committed to dealing with crime against women with an iron hand. The chief minister has asked the police to accord top priority to investigations involving violence against women,”
Ahuja’s meeting with the DGP and senior IPS officers occurred immediately after CM Mohan Majhi met with the Army officer, his fiancée, and ex-servicemen, assuring them of timely justice in the case. On Sunday night, the government initiated a judicial investigation into the September 15 incident at Bharatpur police station, a case by retired Justice Chitta Ranjan Das, with a 60-day deadline for the report as requested by the commission. The government also asked the High Court to watch over the crime branch investigation.
A state government report points out that rape cases decreased to 2,826 in 2023, down from 3,184 in 2022. However, women activists expressed concern that many victims remain reluctant to file complaints. “Under-reporting of crime against women is a concern. While police at some places scare away complainants, there are also instances of women refusing to approach the police out of fear of social stigma and revenge by the accused,” stated social activist Santosini Swain.
