BHUBANESWAR: The elegant
Airport police station, likely to be inaugurated here in August, will be the first in Odisha to have a child-friendly room with toys, puzzle games and painted walls. Police said the idea behind such a move is to make minor victims and children, accused of committing offences (children in conflict with law), feel safe and comfortable.
The Airport police station, located near the
Biju Patnaik International Airport, is likely to be functional in August. “We will earmark a room in the police station as child corner, having some special features for minors. A designer has been roped in to create
child-friendly ambiance in the room. The child corner will look colourful with wall paintings that can attract eyeballs of children,” commissioner of police Y B Khurania told TOI.
Police said the child corner will come in place in addition to the Mahila and Sishu desk, which is a common feature in all police stations. Khurania said the proposed child corner will have games, cartoon books and refreshment articles for children. “We will ensure to give a conducive atmosphere for children in the police station especially in cases where the children are in need of care and protection. Special attention will be given to keep the minor victims and the children in conflict with law away from regular criminals brought to the police station,” Khurania said. Police said that the children, who are usually scared either after committing a crime or after becoming a victim of crime, need a congenial atmosphere where they can open up.
The child corner will be located on the second floor of the three-storey police station and remain under CCTV surveillance. “We will engage a child welfare police officer (CWPO) as head of the child corner. An officer in or above the rank of assistant sub-inspector (ASI) will be appointed as CWPO. The officer will undergo specialized training on child related legislations,” Khurania said. Police said statement of the children will be recorded in the child corner under audio-visual technology. An NGO is likely to be assigned to regularly visit the child corner and recommend measures for improvement.
