Odisha Orders CCTV in All Police Stations by March 31

Cuttack: The Odisha government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations across the state by March 31, according to reports. The directive was announced following an assault incident involving an army officer and his fiancée at a police station, which prompted the High Court to demand tighter surveillance.

The Advocate General informed the High Court of the SOP, with copies provided to both the court and the amicus curiae. During the hearing, it was revealed that out of 593 police stations in Odisha, CCTV cameras were either inoperable or missing in many. While 456 stations had non-operational cameras, emergency measures have now been taken to restore their functionality. However, 13 police stations still lack CCTV installations, and the High Court has ordered their installation within 15 days.

The state government assured that all CCTV systems are now being monitored by district SP offices and the office of the Director General (DG) of Police. The High Court will review the progress of these installations at the next hearing, scheduled for Tuesday.