Bhubaneswar, April 27: With rape and dowry cases being reported more frequently in the state, police have decided to hold interactive sessions with women to know from the problems they face in daily lives.

Despite taking measures, women's safety remains a huge concern.

Police statistics revealed that there has been a rise in rape and dowry cases in the state.

While as many as 72 rape cases were registered in Bhubaneswar in 2014 as compared to 51 in 2013, the number of dowry torture incidents also went up to 104 in 2014 as compared to 58 cases in 2013.

The cops have scheduled a meeting with women citizens, activists and NGOs working next month.

"This would be a interface-cum-workshop in which we will invite suggestions from women participants. Our aim is to initiate measures for women's safety in the city," said police commissioner R.P Sharma.

Sources said the workshop would be conducted on the day when a proposed mobile-based application for women would be launched in the city.

The app would enable women to alert the police just by shaking their mobile phones during an emergency.

"Women need to register themselves with the police before downloading the application. The user can send an alert either by shaking their phones or by pressing a power button. The alert would be subsequently transmitted to police control room," said a senior cop.

The workshop will also involve college-going students many of whom have experienced some sort of harassment in their lives.

Their suggestions and inputs will also help police to curb incidents of eve teasing in and around educational institutes in the city.

Despite the cops deploying their men in plain clothes in front of several schools and colleges, a number of girl students had expressed their concern over eve teasing at several police-student interfaces held in recent past.

"The decision is a welcome move by the police. They should know the problems faced by the women especially those who work late hours. Besides, we will also suggest them to deploy their men in plain clothes in front of the educational institutes to curb incidents of eve teasing," said Anuradha Sahu, a college student.