LUCKNOW: In a major push towards women’s safety and justice, Lakhimpur Kheri police secured convictions in more than 50 cases involving crimes against women and girls in 2026, while tracing and reuniting 1,145 missing and abducted women and girls with their families under the Uttar Pradesh government’s Mission Shakti 6.0 campaign and Operation Conviction.According to district police data, courts decided 33 rape and POCSO cases this year, resulting in convictions in 23 cases and the sentencing of more than 34 accused. Police also secured convictions in 13 of the 15 dowry death cases decided during the period. Significantly, all seven molestation cases adjudicated by courts this year ended in convictions, giving the district a 100% conviction rate in that category.Several convictions resulted in severe punishments. In one of the most notable cases, a court sentenced a man to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl. Multiple accused in rape and gang rape cases involving minor girls were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, while several accused in dowry death and murder cases received life imprisonment along with fines.Among the cases highlighted by police were long-pending rape, POCSO and dowry death cases that ended in convictions following coordinated investigations and prosecution. Officials said sustained monitoring of serious cases and close coordination between investigators and prosecutors played a key role in securing convictions.Alongside these courtroom successes, police carried out an extensive district-wide drive to trace missing women and girls. Under Mission Shakti 6.0, police traced and reunited 1,145 women and girls with their families. Of them, 941 had been reported abducted, while 204 had been reported missing.Kotwali Sadar police station recorded the highest number of recoveries, tracing 115 women and girls, followed by Mohammdi police station with 97. Significant recoveries were also reported by Gola, Palia, Bhira, Kheri, Mitauli and several other police stations across the district.Superintendent of Police, Kheri, Khyati Garg, said the achievements reflected the district police’s commitment to ensuring justice for victims and protecting vulnerable women and children.“Our priority is not only to ensure the safety and dignity of women and girls but also to guarantee that offenders face timely and stringent punishment. The convictions secured under Operation Conviction and the successful recovery of over 1,100 women and girls demonstrate the coordinated efforts of our investigators, prosecutors and field teams. We will continue to focus on swift investigations, scientific evidence collection and effective prosecution, while making every effort to trace missing women and girls and reunite them with their families,” Garg said.Police officials said the district would continue intensive monitoring of crimes against women, strengthen prosecution in serious cases and maintain focused recovery drives under Mission Shakti to improve public confidence and enhance women’s safety across the district.
