Bhubaneswar: There were around 2,200 rape cases in Odisha in 2017, and this is more than the national figure, DGP Rajendra Prasad Sharma said here Thursday.
Speaking at the Eighth Foundation Day of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) held in association with the Women and Child Development department and UNICEF, Sharma said that he would like to raise awareness about rape of minor girls as around 4,800 have become the victim of the heinous crime during the last four years.
“The numbers are horrifying; 55 to 56 per cent of the rape survivors in Odisha are minors. The police can’t stop rapes, but we are doing our best to raise awareness. Our recent ‘Pari Paien Kaatha Tiye Abhiyan’ was a huge success. The 15-day campaign across 30 districts covered 45,000 km. Around 12 lakh people participated in the drive and around a crore left their impressions on social media,” he added.
Attending the meet, Finance and Excise Minister Sashibhusan Behera said, “Children are the future of the country. We would focus on child-oriented education to promote empowerment of children.”
Speaking about child marriage in the state, Odisha State Food Commissioner Ranglal Jamuda said, “Around 21 per cent of girls get married before attending the age of 18. The child mortality rate up to the age of 5 stands at 48:1000. Even though the numbers are declining the government is trying to end these problems.”
The meet was attended by around 100 state officials, chairpersons of 16 State Commissions for the Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs) and UNICEF representatives.