Alarming Recent Incidents
- 15-year-old girl in Puri abducted, assaulted, and set ablaze in broad daylight; now critical.
- 20-year-old college student in Balasore died by suicide after alleging sexual harassment and institutional inaction.
- Nepali student died by suicide after similar harassment, triggering a diplomatic fallout with Nepal.
Relevance : GS 1(Society ) , GS 2(Social Justice)
High Crime Rate, But Justice Elusive
- Odisha recorded 51 cases of crimes against women per 1 lakh population in 2022 — among the highest in India.
- India’s average stood at 33 cases per lakh — Odisha far exceeds this.
Chargesheeting in Decline
- Chargesheeting rate fell from 91.2% in 2017 to 71.4% in 2022.
- Indicates weakening police efficiency in taking cases forward for trial.
- Consistent decline despite a higher-than-average crime rate.
Conviction Rates Among the Lowest
- Only ~9% of women-related cases sent for trial in 2022 resulted in conviction.
- Odisha had the second-highest number of such cases sent for trial, yet ranks near the bottom in conviction outcomes.
- Reflects investigation gaps, prosecutorial weakness, and judicial delay.
Trial Pendency at Crisis Levels
- Over 95% of rape cases in Odisha were pending trial in 2022 — highest in India.
- Massive backlog points to a choked judiciary and absence of fast-track mechanisms.
The Triple Crisis
Odisha is marked by a dangerous combination:
- High incidence of crimes against women
- Falling chargesheeting rates
- Low conviction outcomes
This “high crime–low justice” paradox creates a culture of impunity and public distrust.
Systemic & Institutional Apathy
- Colleges failed to act on complaints; grievance redressal mechanisms remain non-functional.
- State response marred by administrative inertia and political silence.
Policy Imperatives
- Strengthen fast-track courts and judicial infrastructure.
- Enhance police-investigation and forensic capacity.
- Make college and workplace grievance mechanisms legally accountable.
- Expand victim support services, including mental health and legal aid.
- Enforce time-bound chargesheeting and trial timelines for gender-based crimes.
