Bhubaneswar: Alarmed by Odisha accounting for the highest number of human trafficking victims in the country, state police have decided to establish a dedicated anti-human trafficking bureau (AHTB) in Bhubaneswar to strengthen enforcement efforts across districts and enhance coordination with agencies in other states.A proposal sent by the crime against women and children wing (CAW&CW) to the state govt envisages the anti-human trafficking bureau being headed by an officer of the rank of deputy inspector-general (DIG).“Though Odisha currently has 37 integrated anti-human trafficking units, the proposed bureau would exclusively monitor and coordinate with districts and other states to conduct focused operations for identifying and rescuing trafficked persons,” CAW&CW’s ADG S Shyni told TOI.The move comes in the wake of an April 2025 Supreme Court directive asking all states to adopt foolproof measures to curb trafficking of women and children and raise anti-trafficking bureaus in state capitals to strengthen monitoring and coordination.National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data underscores the scale of the challenge in Odisha. The state recorded the highest number of trafficked victims in the country, with 1,475 victims in 2021, 1,120 in 2022, 1,305 in 2023 and 1,039 in 2024. The data also placed Odisha as the leading state in rescue operations, with police rescuing 1,290 victims in 2021, 1,816 in 2022, 1,246 in 2023 and 971 in 2024.Officials said trafficking in Odisha takes multiple forms, including forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced marriages, organised begging, drug peddling, organ trafficking and cyber slavery.Police said the state govt has undertaken a series of measures to strengthen anti-human trafficking mechanisms. Officials stressed that effective action against trafficking requires seamless coordination among departments such as police, labour and women and child development, along with stronger rehabilitation support for rescued women and children.Govt officials said special teams comprising representatives of the labour department, women and child development department, district child protection units, panchayati raj institutions and NGOs have been formed to prevent trafficking and curb its recurrence.“Awareness programmes are being conducted at the grassroots level with involvement of NGOs to educate vulnerable communities. Strict enforcement measures are being implemented across districts to detect trafficking networks and rescue victims,” said a govt official.Police have also intensified surveillance at transit points, including railway stations, bus stands and inter-district border check posts, to intercept trafficking attempts. Authorities are keeping a close watch on suspected labour contractors and brokers allegedly involved in illegal migration and bonded labour.Women’s rights activists laid emphasis on rehabilitation. “Rescued individuals should be provided counselling, educational support and livelihood assistance. Emergency psychological support should also be offered through trained counsellors and social workers, while life-skill training would help survivors rebuild confidence and reintegrate into society,” said women’s rights defender Mamata Sahani.