TRINATH MOHANTY, OP
Bhubaneswar: Instead of concentrating on education and preparing for a brighter future, an increasing number of minors in Odisha are becoming involved in criminal activities. This disturbing trend is putting their future at risk and raising concerns among law enforcement agencies, parents and child welfare advocates.
The growing influence of substance abuse and social media is being viewed as one of the factors contributing to criminal tendencies among children. Experts believe that a lack of parental attention, negative peer influence and exposure to harmful online content may also push youngsters towards unlawful activities.
The scale of the problem is evident from the available figures. Over the past five years, 6,710 minors were reportedly involved in criminal cases in Odisha. More concerning is the fact that the number of cases crossed the 1,000 mark within just the first eight months of the current year. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) also points to the continuing involvement of minors in a range of offences, including drug-related crimes, murder, theft, robbery, attempted murder and group assaults.
According to NCRB figures cited in the report, minors were involved in 1,095 cases in 2020, 1,334 in 2021 and 1,163 in 2022. The number rose to 1,507 in 2023 and 1,611 in 2024. During 2024, police apprehended 1,835 minors, of whom 1,826 were reportedly sent to juvenile institutions through the Juvenile Justice Board.
A series of disturbing incidents
Several incidents reported in and around Bhubaneswar illustrate the seriousness of the situation.
On Friday morning, a minor allegedly killed a seven-year-old child in the Badagada-Bijepur area following a dispute over fishing. The disagreement reportedly began over the placement of a fishing line, before escalating into a fatal attack in which the accused allegedly strangled the child with a towel. In the second week of April, a minor and his associates allegedly hurled bombs in the Laxmisagar area following a group clash, creating panic among local residents. In May, a minor was reportedly linked to the killing of a young man who was run over by a vehicle in the Chandrasekharpur police station area. The incident was allegedly connected to a love triangle.
In separate cases reported in the Balianta and Nandankanan police station areas, two minors were arrested in connection with the alleged rape of minor girls. On June 29, two minors allegedly killed a father and his son in the Khandagiri area and were subsequently taken into police custody. Another violent incident occurred October 8 near Deb Ray College, where two minors reportedly clashed over student union elections, leaving them injured. These incidents have intensified concerns about the circumstances driving children towards violence and other serious offences.
Legal safeguards & challenge of rehabilitation
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, provides the legal framework for dealing with children accused of offences while prioritising their care, protection and rehabilitation. The legislation replaced the Juvenile Justice Act of 2000 and came into force January 15, 2016. The law seeks to ensure that children in conflict with the law are given opportunities for reform and reintegration into society rather than being treated in the same way as adult offenders. Special provisions apply to minors aged 16 to 18 who are accused of committing heinous offences, including murder and rape.
Following a preliminary assessment of their mental and physical capacity, their understanding of the consequences of the alleged offence and the circumstances in which it was committed, the Juvenile Justice Board may transfer certain cases to a Children’s Court for trial under the applicable legal provisions. However, concerns have been raised over the implementation of these provisions and the effectiveness of the existing juvenile justice system in Odisha.
Lack of parental attention and online influence
Child protection activist Benudhar Senapati believes that inadequate parental care is among the factors contributing to juvenile delinquency. He observed that some parents, owing to their busy lifestyles, leave their children in the care of babysitters without providing sufficient emotional support and personal attention. According to him, children who feel neglected may seek acceptance and companionship among their peers, sometimes falling into harmful company and becoming involved in criminal activities.
He also expressed concern that excessive mobile phone use and social media exposure may expose children to criminal methods and negative influences. Advocate Babita Kar raised concerns about the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes in juvenile homes. She pointed out that children who enter these institutions following criminal offences do not always receive the support necessary for meaningful reform. She warned that some minors may leave juvenile homes with more entrenched criminal tendencies instead of becoming better prepared to rejoin society. Although these institutions are expected to provide regular counselling, education, behavioural guidance and other rehabilitative services, shortcomings in implementation may undermine their purpose.
A need for stronger intervention
The growing involvement of minors in criminal cases highlights the need for a comprehensive response involving families, schools, law enforcement agencies and child protection institutions. Greater parental engagement, awareness of the risks associated with substance abuse and harmful online content, early identification of behavioural problems, and access to professional counselling could help prevent children from entering the criminal justice system.
Equally important is the need to strengthen juvenile homes through effective education, psychological support, behavioural rehabilitation and post-release monitoring. The challenge is not merely to address offences after they occur, but also to understand why children are becoming involved in crime and to intervene before their behaviour escalates. Ensuring proper care, accountability and meaningful rehabilitation will be essential to protecting young lives and preventing juvenile delinquency from becoming a deeper social problem.