Schools in Nagaland directed to be vigilant in view of reports about child lifting

Dimapur, Oct. 3 (EMN): The Directorate of School Education has cautioned all schools, both government and private, in Nagaland to be vigilant and create awareness among students in view of child lifting cases being reported in the state.

In a notification issued by Thavaseelan K, Principal Director of School Education, all schools in the state have been directed to strictly adhere to the following directive:

• One Teacher each may be made in-charge of one section/class to control access of unknown persons to students and to check authenticity of every person who meets students in schools.
• Attendance taken at the first period should be verified by all subject teachers during the subsequent periods.
• If any student is found bunking classes, school authorities/teachers should confirm from parents whether the students are absent in actual or missing.
• Regular awareness should be given to Students, Teachers and Parents in co-ordination with Police Department.
• Students should be given awareness about preventing the case of kidnappings via movie clips/plays/painting or other competitions/awareness campaigns etc.
• Students should be taught to rush and take help from the nearby authorities like driver in bus, principal/teachers in schools, parents, nearby churches on roads, TTE in trains etc.
• Students should be taught to remember at least two emergency phone numbers and two addresses (parents/favourite teacher) to use in case of any emergency.
• Basic self-defence may be taught in all schools with a caution of not getting harmed by mighty in time of resistance. Where to use self-defence and where to resist should also be taught.
• There can be a mock drill to teach SOP in case a child kidnapping case is reported with different scenarios. Like kidnapping at railway station/or bus/or school etc.
• Techniques like child shouting loud, “Help Help Help” if anyone suspicious approaches child in public can be taught in mock drills.
• Children may be taught of indirect signals which a child can use to communicate to nearby people to save one from dangerous persons.
• Immediate information to police should be given in case of any case is reported.
• Child Helpline 1098 should be used immediately when any case of child kidnapping is reported.
• Helpline numbers of local police station/control room shall be displayed in class rooms & prominent places within the school premises.
• Assistance of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) may be taken to impart awareness to students, parents, teachers and public.
• Parents may be advised to avoid uploading pictures of children on social media as anti-social elements track their activities like school time/sports time etc. and make plan of kidnapping accordingly.
• Authenticity of shop owners nearby schools should be verified by the school authorities and police/civil administration should be informed in case of suspicions.
• CCTVs inside schools and outside school gates may be installed.

Meanwhile, Thavaseelan told Eastern Mirror that the department has not received any child lifting cases so far but has issued the directives in light of the recent reports about child lifters being caught in Nagaland.

It may be mentioned that the police arrested two persons on September 26 after they allegedly attempted to kidnap a two-and-a-half years old child in Dimapur. They were sent to judicial custody last week.

In another case, four persons were arrested in Dimapur last month on suspicion of kidnapping children but the police told this newspaper that it was not confirmed yet and investigation was on.