Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi has taken a strong stance on public safety, directing police to adopt a “zero-tolerance policy” towards crimes against women. The directive came during a high-level review meeting on the state’s crime and law and order situation held at Lok Seva Bhavan.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister instructed police officials to be in “action mode at all times” and ordered senior officers to regularly monitor the enforcement of this policy. Citing the government’s commitment to women’s safety as non-negotiable, Shri Majhi emphasized the need for swift and decisive police action.
The meeting was attended by Chief Minister’s Advisor Shri Prakash Mishra, Advocate General Shri Patrambar Acharya, Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, Additional Chief Secretary Home Department Shri Satyabrat Sahu, Director General of Police Shri Y.B. Khurania, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Saswat Mishra, Director Intelligence, Shri R P Koche, Crime Branch DG, Shri Vinayatosh Mishra and others.
A key focus of the discussion was the safety of children and women. To this end, the Chief Minister has called for strengthened police patrolling, particularly in and around schools and colleges.
The meeting also highlighted the police department’s ongoing efforts to rescue missing women and children. Over the past year, authorities have successfully rescued 8,035 women and 3,306 girls, a testament to the sustained rescue operations.
To address the issue of vacant positions in the police force, the Chief Minister announced the decision to constitute a special Police Recruitment Board. This board is tasked with filling the vacancies as quickly as possible to enhance the state’s law enforcement capabilities.
In addition to women’s safety, the Chief Minister Shri Majhi called for stricter measures to combat other crimes, including:
- Drug Trafficking: A directive was issued to take special and strict steps to stop the smuggling of brown sugar into Odisha from neighboring states.
- Illegal Ganja Cultivation: The Chief Minister suggested strengthening and expanding the steps already in place to prevent illegal ganja cultivation.
- Traffic Management: The police were advised to regulate and improve the traffic system across the state.
The Chief Minister also expressed his satisfaction with the Odisha Police’s performance in tackling illegal arms trafficking, sand smuggling, and executing non-bailable warrants. The meeting concluded with a call for a continuous and effective police presence to ensure the common man feels safe and secure in the state.