The CBI on Tuesday started a coordinated search operation at 76 locations in 14 states against 83 people allegedly involved in sexual abuse of children and posting and circulating abuse material on the web space, officials said.

"The central agency registered 23 separate cases on November 14 against 83 people allegedly involved in online child sexual abuse and exploitation," they said.

Searches are being conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, CBI spokesperson R C Joshi said.