BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said child-friendly police stations will be set up in each of the 34 police districts in the state. The move aims at making minors feel more comfortable when they lodge complaints with police and record their statements.
"On different occasions, children are subjected to crimes and visit police stations, seeking assistance from the police. Police also bring children in conflict with law to police stations. Keeping this in mind, the chief minister has directed setting up of a child-friendly police station in each police district," read a written statement from the chief ministers office.
Patnaik said the ambience of the proposed police stations will be completely different from the usual ones. The child-friendly police stations will have a specific logo and signboard. The rooms will have child-friendly decor, wall paintings of cartoons, libraries, toys, first-aid kits, beds and furniture to provide a playful and calm atmosphere to children.
"Such measures are aimed at easing the fear and mental pressure of children visiting police stations, seeking justice. Children will get books and newspapers. Names and phone numbers of the child welfare officers will be prominently displayed at the child-friendly police stations," the statement added.
Police officers will educate and counsel children about the legal provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
"We welcome the decision. Any children would fear visiting a police station to narrate their ordeals and give their statements. A child-friendly ambience and caring officers will wipe out the fear factor from minors," child rights campaigner Sangeeta Mohanty said.
Former Gajapati SP Sarah Sharma and incumbent Sundargarh SP Sagarika Nath had earlier initiated child-friendly facilities at a few police stations in the two districts.
