Crimes targeting women have seen a substantial decrease across Uttar Pradesh, a direct outcome attributed to the establishment of Mission Shakti centres in every police station. This positive trend was revealed in a comprehensive statewide review led by Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna.
Sharp Decline in Major Crime Categories
The police assessment compared crime data from a three-month period before the centres were set up, from June 16 to September 15, 2025, with the three months following their operational launch, from September 16 to December 15, 2025. The results showed a marked reduction across all major categories of crimes involving women.
The most significant drop was observed in rape cases, which declined by approximately 33.92%. Barabanki district stood out with the steepest reduction of 76.92%.
Other categories also showed promising improvements:
- Kidnapping of women and girls decreased by around 17.03%, with Amethi reporting the maximum reduction of 42.61%.
- Dowry death cases fell by nearly 12.96%, with Balrampur registering a dramatic fall of 80%.
- Domestic violence cases saw an overall reduction of 9.54%, with Shravasti recording a decrease of 35.9%.
Beyond Policing: A Holistic Support System
Senior officials explained that the establishment of Mission Shakti Centres has led to a reduction in formal FIRs because many disputes are now resolved at an early stage. Through counselling, dialogue, and coordinated intervention, potential crises are defused before escalating into registered crimes. This proactive approach has been widely appreciated by the public, especially in sensitive family and domestic matters.
DGP Rajeev Krishna emphasised that Mission Shakti is based on a whole-of-government approach, with police acting as the lead coordinating agency. "The objective is not only grievance redressal but also guiding citizens to the correct information, departments, and procedures," he stated.
He further clarified that these centres have evolved into a comprehensive support network. "Mission Shakti Centres are no longer limited to complaint registration. They now function as a single-point support system, ensuring coordinated psychological, social, legal, and institutional assistance to women complainants from the initial reporting stage through investigation and until the completion of judicial proceedings," the DGP said.
Grassroots Innovations and Future Directives
The review also highlighted several innovative, region-specific initiatives undertaken under the Mission Shakti umbrella to empower women and children:
- In Pilibhit, teams helped elderly and destitute women open bank accounts, secure old-age pensions, and ensured school admissions for underprivileged girls.
- Across the Ayodhya range, departments coordinated to prepare and distribute booklets detailing central and state government welfare schemes.
- In the Jhansi range, vulnerable hotspots were identified, and confidential complaint boxes were installed for women and girls to lodge grievances anonymously.
- In the Lucknow range, women at village, mohalla, and police beat levels were designated as Mission Shakti volunteers to relay complaints and assist in gathering information.
To strengthen the initiative further, the DGP issued a series of directives. These include improving coordination between centres, police stations, and investigating officers, ensuring balanced resource use, and adopting data-driven evaluations. He also suggested installing complaint boxes in schools with principals' consent for hesitant girls and routing all complaints involving women from police outposts through Mission Shakti Centres.
Calling for the replication of successful local innovations across districts, DGP Krishna commended the Women and Child Safety Organisation for its implementation role. He expressed confidence that with sustained effort, Mission Shakti Centres have the potential to be a game-changer for grassroots policing and women's safety in Uttar Pradesh.
