Puri, 15: The growing number of missing women and children in Puri district and the inability to trace many of them have raised serious concerns over public safety and police effectiveness. Despite complaints being lodged, several missing persons remain untraced, prompting concern among intellectuals and members of the public.

Government data from the past five years highlight the scale of the problem. According to the figures, hundreds of women, girls and children reported missing in Puri have yet to be traced or rescued.

In 2021, 559 women were reported missing, of whom 410 had been traced or rescued by the end of July 2026. Of the 98 missing children, 75 were recovered, while 65 of the 84 missing girls were traced.

In 2022, police traced 583 of the 717 missing women, 221 of the 252 missing children and 208 of the 238 missing girls. In 2023, 303 of the 459 missing women, 305 of the 352 missing children and 279 of the 322 missing girls were traced or rescued.

The figures for 2024 show that 549 of the 687 missing women, 269 of the 381 missing children and 250 of the 340 missing girls had been traced by the end of July 2026.

The situation appears more concerning in 2025. Of the 830 women reported missing, only 426 had been traced. Similarly, 297 of the 429 missing children and 258 of the 378 missing girls had been rescued or identified by the end of July 2026.

The figures, attributed to the state Home Department, have raised questions about the effectiveness of the police machinery in ensuring the safety of women and children in the district, which attracts large numbers of tourists throughout the year.

Several unresolved cases have further intensified concerns. The body of an unidentified young woman was recently recovered from the riverbank at Kaliakera under Chandannagar police station limits. In another case, a box containing human skeletal remains was reportedly found at Narendra several years ago, but the identity of the deceased remains unclear.

During the recent Rath Yatra, human skeletal remains were also recovered beside a road near Batagaon Chhak. Police have yet to establish the identity of the deceased. An earlier case involving a child who went missing from a woman street vendor on the Bada Danda also remains unresolved.

Despite advances in investigative technology and the existence of specialised police units, the lack of significant progress in several cases has raised questions about the department's investigation and accountability mechanisms.