BHUBANESWAR: In what may set the alarm bells ringing for parents, the commissionerate
police here on Friday received a complaint from some women about movement of suspected child kidnappers outside a leading public school in Nayapalli area. A team of officers from the Nayapalli police station visited the school and discussed with the school authorities.
“We have taken serious note of the matter after receiving the complaint. Some students too claimed to have seen suspicious movement of strangers outside Loyala school. Students claimed that the strangers were offering chocolates to kids. Their claims are being verified. The Nayapalli inspector-in-charge Umakanta Pradhan immediately visited the school and is investigating into the matter,”
deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Anup Kumar Sahoo told TOI.
Despite repeated attempts, Loyala school authorities were unavailable for comment. However, a teacher of the school said adequate steps have been taken to ensure safety and security of the students in the institute. “We have been sensitising students not to interact with strangers. Students should not accept anything from strangers,” the teacher said.
The woman, who drew the attention of Nayapalli police about suspicious movement of people outside the school, alleged that her daughter saw some men offering chocolates to students outside the school gate (after end of the school hour). “One of the persons told another kid that her mother met with accident. Her family has sent him to pick her up from the school. It clearly indicated that they were child lifters. Police should immediately take step,” she said requesting anonymity.
Police said they have so far not received any complaint regarding abduction of any children in the city. “We will soon issue an advisory to schools, asking them to take adequate precautions for the safety of students. Schools should also ensure that children, who do not avail pick and drop service of the institutes, reach their homes safely. Schools should see that the children do not leave schools with strangers,” another police officer said.
Odisha parents association forum (OPAF), a body of different parent associations in the city, said all schools should adopt a standard operating procedure (SOP) about the safety and security of children. “We do not see adequate safety and security measures in many private schools. The school managements should involve associations of parents to monitor the functioning of the institutions,” OPAF’s member Baikuntha Das said.
Recently, there were reports of people beating up strangers suspecting them as child lifters in different districts. The state police headquarters earlier ruled out the presence of child kidnappers and advised people to inform local police about movement of suspicious people.
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