Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Child help centre at Koyambedu bus terminus

Staff Reporter

In aid of lost and wandering children, victims of child abuse

— Photo: K. Pichumani

OUTPOST: Commissioner of Police Letika Saran with senior police officials after inaugurating a police outpost at CMBT in Koyambedu on Thursday.

CHENNAI: City police on Thursday opened a ‘child friendly centre’ at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus in Koyambedu that will serve as a help booth for lost and wandering children and victims of child abuse.

Speaking to The Hindu, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Anna Nagar) M.V. Jayagowri said that the centre would work towards prevention and healing of children subjected to physical abuse or other kinds of torture.

Children are usually reluctant to talk to counsellors or police personnel in a police station.

“Hence, we have provided a “child friendly space”, where the victim/witness can speak with confidence.

Toys and other play materials have been made available at the centre to make the children feel comfortable,” she said.

Vidya Reddy of TULIR, a non-government organisation dealing with child abuse, has welcomed the setting up of the facility.

The facility was inaugurated by Commissioner of Police Letika Saran, who also opened a new police outpost to be manned by three sub-inspectors and 30 constables. Additional Commissioner of Police S.R. Jangid and Joint Commissioner P Balasubramanian were among those who participated in the function.

Speaking to reporters, Ms Saran said women police in plainclothes had been deputed at select points in the city to check sexual harassment of women in public places.

She also said that during the last two days, police picked up 200 anti-social elements, who were either let off or remanded to judicial custody after a check on their backgrounds.

On the steps taken to arrest “Vellai” Ravi, wanted in connection with a kidnap case of a businessman, the Commissioner said that special teams are on the look out for the accused.

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