The Himachal Pradesh Police launched the ‘School CONNECT – School Safety & Student Protection Initiative’ on November 2 to improve safety in educational institutions through preventive measures and enhanced police-school collaboration.
Director General of Police Ashok Tewari chaired a meeting with principals and representatives from 27 schools at the Police Headquarters in Shimla as part of the initiative, aligning with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s vision for student welfare and child protection.
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Expanding on the existing Police–University Connect Programme, the new initiative focuses on supporting younger students, addressing physical and digital threats with increased supervision and care.
DGP Tewari emphasised that child safety is a collective responsibility involving schools, parents, law enforcement, and society. He stated, “Our objective is not merely to investigate incidents after children have suffered harm, but to prevent such incidents through vigilance, awareness, and coordinated action. Every child deserves a safe school, and every parent deserves peace of mind.”
The meeting reviewed operational measures including:
Campus security enhancements such as mandatory CCTV surveillance at entry and exit points, strict visitor verification, access control, and routine safety audits.
Child protection efforts focusing on awareness against kidnapping, sexual abuse, bullying, and harassment, with prompt reporting under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Cyber safety education addressing cyberbullying, online grooming, sextortion, deepfakes, and other digital threats.
An anti-drug campaign to prevent student exposure to narcotics and synthetic drugs (chitta), supporting the Chief Minister-led Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan.
Transport and emergency safety measures including mandatory police verification for bus drivers and support staff, evacuation drills, and familiarisation with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112).
Strengthened police–school coordination through designated police nodal officers and the formation of dedicated school safety committees to maintain regular contact with local police stations.
DGP Tewari underscored the importance of comprehensive CCTV monitoring, staff background verification, and timely information sharing as proactive management standards rather than reactive responses following incidents.
The Himachal Pradesh Police confirmed their commitment to continued collaboration with academic institutions and parents to maintain safer learning environments throughout the state.
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