Bhubaneswar: Online circulation of women's nude videos in the state has become a menace despite DGP R.P. Sharma issuing an advisory to the public and a standard operating procedure for the police for such cases.

Recently, three such videos featuring a female dancer, winner of a reality show and a college student were being rapidly circulated. While the women are yet to lodge formal complaints with the police, the cops are also mum on the issue.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has informed the Assembly that 288 nude video circulation cases had been registered by the police since 2016. While police registered 73 cases in 2016 the number of cases went up to 184 in 2017. Till March this year, 31 such cases have been registered.

The police have arrested 145 persons accused in these cases between 2016 and March this year.

Social activists have slammed the police for not been bale to curb such incidents.

"The role of the police seems to be restricted to issuing an advisory, but such videos continue to be circulated. The time has come for the police to take suo moto cognisance of such videos or the victims may take some drastic step. Besides, the police should also initiate action against others sharing the videos with their friends," said Lipsa Priyadarshini, a social activist.

Experts say the trauma caused to the victims of these cases was more as compared to normal cheating cases.

"The guilt of sharing such images on their own plays on their mind and the victims always apprehend getting victimised again as the videos and photographs keep circulating in cyber space," said an activist.

The police, on the other hand, urged the victims to lodge formal complaints.

"It will be easier for us to identify the accused when the victims lodge a formal complaint. Besides, we will also be able to seize the mobile phone and other devices used by the accused before it gets circulated," said a police official.