Bhubaneswar: Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan Friday strongly defended the state government’s record on women’s safety while replying to an adjournment motion moved in the Assembly regarding the alleged abuse of three minor girls in MV-72 village under Kalimela block of Malkangiri district.
The motion was brought by MLAs Ramachandra Kadam, CS Rajen Ekka, Ashok Kumar Das and Mangu Khol, who accused the government of failing to protect women in remote regions. Responding to the charge, Harichandan informed the House that the incident was promptly acted upon. “On 23 November 2025, at around 4pm, Naren Ray, 45, of the same village, allegedly abused three minor girls. Based on a written complaint filed November 25, a case (177/2025) was registered at MV-79 Police Station,” he said.
The minister confirmed that the accused has already been arrested and will be produced before the court, while further investigation continues. Countering the Opposition’s criticism, the Law Minister presented comparative crime data from the last 15 months of the current government (01.07.2024–30.09.2025) with the preceding 15-month period (01.04.2023–30.06.2024). According to the figures cited, the total number of crimes against women has remained largely unchanged—40,947 cases registered in the recent period compared to 40,771 previously.
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The minister highlighted key improvements during BJP’s tenure till now saying rape cases are down by 3.3%, molestation is down by 1.9%, public disrobing is down by 22.2%, acid attacks are down by 66.7%, women trafficking is down by 24.1%, dowry-related murders are down by 20.6% and dowry harassment is down by 7.2%. However, he noted that sexual assault has shown a slight increase of 0.7%. “The government has given top priority to ensuring women’s safety with prompt case registration, quality investigation, fast-track trials, rehabilitation and counselling of victims,” Harichandan said. The minister detailed several specialised policing mechanisms too. Those include Crime Prevention Branch for Women & Children (CAW & CW), 29 Investigative Units on Crime Against Women (IUCAW) units for sensitive cases, with 1 new unit sanctioned and 5 more proposed, Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPU) in all districts, 37 Anti-Human Trafficking Units, 649 police station Women & Children Desks, 71 Child-Friendly Police Stations, Cyber Monitoring Unit for online abuse, Dedicated Missing Persons Monitoring Unit and 24 POCSO fast-track courts.
He cited examples where heinous crimes were investigated and completed within 37 to 104 days, resulting in rigorous imprisonment ranging from four years to life. The minister also informed the House that Odisha ranks third nationally in victim compensation applications and fourth in compensation provided, as per National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
However, the Opposition BJD and Congress accused the BJP government of being insensitive to sexual abuses of women in the state, claiming that the administration’s policy of “zero tolerance” to rape was not enough, as people wanted ‘zero incidents’. “I do not say that rapes did not happen during the previous regimes. The party in power should understand that we are in the opposition not for doing justice to victims in the past. You are committing the same mistake and trying to escape without taking responsibility,” Congress MLA Ashok Das said. BJD legislator Goutam Buddha Das also slammed the BJP government and pointed out some cases, including one in Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s native Keonjhar district, where accused persons were not arrested in the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl. “The government is making all efforts to cover up its inefficiencies, particularly in rape cases,” he alleged. The BJD leader alleged that police were unable to chase the criminals because they are preoccupied with VIP duties.
