Sexual assaults against minors 'disturbing': Odisha DGP

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) R.P. Sharma on Wednesday said the increase in sexual assault on women and minor girls was "extremely disturbing and shameful" for any civilized society.

"An analysis of the recent sexual assaults which took place in April, 2018 in Odisha was made and it was found that in 92.5 per cent cases, the offenders were either relatives of the victims or known to them and belonged to the same locality or community.

"This makes it very challenging for the police and it is extremely difficult to prevent such occurrences," Sharma said at a press meet in Cuttack.

He said the rate of conviction had increased to 38.5 per cent in 2018 from 17 per cent in 2017.

In 70 per cent cases, the culprits were arrested within 24 hours while in 81 per cent cases, the arrests were made within 72 hours of lodging the report in a police station, he added.

The DGP pointed out that the problem could be mitigated by launching a massive awareness campaign in the society involving all stakeholders like police, appropriate agencies of administration, NGOs, community organisations, civil society and teaching community.

Sharma had a discussion with the senior police officers on Tuesday to chalk out a strategy to deal with such rising incidents of crime.