Special juvenile police units in all districts soon

Patna: In order to deal with cases of children coming to police stations, the state government has taken an initiative to create ‘special juvenile police unit (SJPU) in all the districts. The SJPUs have already been opened in eight districts with the UNICEF support. All the districts will be covered in phases.

This was revealed at a workshop conducted by the CID, weaker section, to sensitize the police personnel in this regard. The two-day workshop concluded on Sunday. The Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act, 2000 envisages a different role for the police and mandates the state government to constitute SJPU in every district. The CID, weaker section, has been designated as the nodal agency for overseeing the SJPU functioning in Bihar.

IG (CID, weaker section) Arvind Pandey said, “In the first phase, two SJPUs were set up last year to ensure physical presence, visibility and better policing for children. Six more SJPUs were opened this year. The eight SJPUs are at Nalanda, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Darbhanga, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Begusarai.”

According to the data available with the state police, multiple rescue operations were carried out in these districts. Over 230 boys being taken outside state for forced labour were rescued by the cops.

Pandey added, “The sensitization programme was needed as from chowkidar to officers level, police personnel should know the relevant sections of the JJ Act while registering offences against children.”

According to the plan, each of the SJPU will be children-friendly. The SJPUs will have a separate room or at least a separate table. The surrounding should have a children-friendly look with pro-child slogans and quotes, posters and pictures. Toys and indoor games will be made available at the police stations for children visiting the SJPUs.

SP (weaker section, CID) Harpreet Kaur and other police personnel besides UNICEF representatives also attended the workshop.

Courtesy: TNN