Bhubaneswar, July 25: Odisha Police's Operation Anweshan Phase-III has yielded significant results, with the Kandhamal and Ganjam police rescuing more than 260 missing women, children and men during a five-day statewide special drive aimed at tracing missing persons.

In Kandhamal, police rescued 138 missing persons, including 129 women and nine minor girls, during the special operation conducted from July 18 to 22. Police teams from various police stations across the district participated in the coordinated search operation, leading to the successful tracing of the missing individuals.

Kandhamal Superintendent of Police Ramendra Prasad said all the rescued women and minor girls have been safely reunited with their families. He reiterated the district police's commitment to ensuring the safety of women and children and urged citizens to immediately dial the 112 emergency helpline whenever they require police assistance.

Meanwhile, Ganjam Police also reported major success under Operation Anweshan-III, rescuing 122 missing persons from different parts of the country. The rescued individuals include 16 minors, 93 women and 13 men, all of whom have since been handed over to their families after completing the required legal formalities.

According to the Ganjam Superintendent of Police, special police teams travelled to Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu to trace and rescue the missing persons. The operation was launched following the successful completion of the first two phases of Operation Anweshan.

Odisha Police said the special drive reflects its continued commitment to tracing missing persons, particularly women and children, and ensuring their safe return. Officials have appealed to the public to promptly report missing cases and seek police assistance through the emergency response system whenever required.