PASIGHAT, 12 Nov: The East Siang district police have launched “Project Muskaan,” a dedicated child safety initiative aimed at empowering children with knowledge, building trust between the police and students, and ensuring effective mechanisms for the prevention, reporting, and response to any form of abuse or exploitation.
Highlighting the need for the project, East Siang superintendent of police Pankaj Lamba informed on Wednesday that it is crucial to create a safe environment where every child feels protected, respected and heard – whether in school, at home or online. “This can only be achieved through collective awareness, open communication, and a strong partnership between the police, educators, parents, and the community,” Lamba said.
The SP added that the increasing instances of child abuse, bullying, online exploitation, and emotional distress in recent times have created an urgent need for stronger and more proactive child protection measures – both at home and within educational institutions.
Regarding the key components of the project, the SP further informed that interactive school sessions will be conducted by “Police Aunty/Didi” and “Police Uncle/Bhaiya” to sensitize students on various topics related to their safety. “It will also help build a friendly image of the police among students and ensure better reporting,” he said.
Police personnel will sensitize children on ‘Good Touch & Bad Touch,’ create awareness about the POCSO Act and Child Rights, and educate them on online and cyber safety.
A team from each police station will cover one school within their jurisdiction in a single day. The project aims to cover five schools weekly from Monday to Friday, the SP said.
Under the project, each school will have a ‘Police Complaint Box,’ which will be checked weekly by a designated officer from the concerned police station, ensuring the anonymity and confidentiality of students. This initiative aims to provide a safe and confidential channel for students to report issues such as bullying, abuse, or distress, the SP informed.
