The Dumka district administration has announced a comprehensive security plan to ensure a safe environment for girl students, including self-defence training in schools, intensified police patrolling, stricter campus entry rules and verification of drivers ferrying students.
Chairing a review meeting, Deputy Commissioner Abhijit Sinha stressed that ensuring the physical safety and psychological well-being of schoolgirls required coordinated efforts by the police, education authorities, school managements, teachers and parents.
The administration has directed education officials to ensure self-defence training for girls in all secondary and higher secondary schools. The programme is already being conducted in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and PM SHRI institutions and will be extended to other schools.
Authorities have also been instructed to prominently display police emergency number 112 and child helpline 1098 at schools, panchayat buildings, Anganwadi centres and community health facilities. Information boards will be installed at major public locations, while awareness murals will be painted on public walls.
Police have been directed to intensify patrolling during school opening and closing hours, particularly along routes frequently used by students. Dark and isolated stretches in the town will be identified for streetlight installation. Special night patrols will cover prominent public places, including the Outdoor Stadium, Khunta Bandh and Gandhi Maidan. Police will maintain strict vigil around school premises to curb eve-teasing and suspicious loitering.
To strengthen transport safety, schools must compile records containing identification details and verifiable residential addresses of drivers operating private vans, auto rickshaws and buses used to ferry students. These records must be submitted to the District Education Officer.
Schools have also been instructed to maintain visitor registers, prevent unauthorised entry and ensure periodic inspection of grievance boxes by Block Education Officers. Sensitive complaints must be handled confidentially.
Parent-teacher meetings will also address commuting arrangements, behavioural concerns and possible harassment. The District Transport Officer has been directed to conduct enforcement drives against reckless and overspeeding motorcyclists near educational institutions.
Superintendent of Police Pitambar Singh Kherwar and other senior district officials attended the meeting.