Bhubaneswar, Sept. 11 -- Odisha is drafting a comprehensive anti-witch-hunting policy that proposes special courts, time-bound trials, immediate rescue and rehabilitation of victims, and accountability for police officers who fail to register or properly investigate complaints.

The draft Odisha State Policy for Witch-Hunting (Prevention, Protection and Prosecution), 2026, prepared by the Women and Child Development Department, aims to step up prevention, guarantee immediate rescue for victims, and accelerate legal proceedings across rural and tribal regions. HT has reviewed the draft of the policy.

"Under the proposed policy, the state will establish special courts and deploy trained prosecutors to ensure time-bound trials for witch-hun...