mangalore today

A month for schools to put security measures in place


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 18, 2015 :  Suspected  sexual assault of a four-year-old girl by a school van driver  at Thokkottu  led the city police to make it mandatory for schools to install closed circuit television cameras on their premises and in school buses. The school vans have been directed to install GPS devices.


 Police Commissioner S. Murugan These measures, which are similar to those framed by the Bengaluru police, were presented in a meeting of Police Commissioner S. Murugan with representatives of various schools in the city. “We do not want such incidents to be reported in any other schools. We want you all to take necessary precautions,” said Commisssioner Murugan while stressing that these measures have to be put in place within one month.

 Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) K. Santosh Babu said that the meeting had been called to make school managements aware of the security measures.  Ensure necessary precautions are taken. Double or triple the measures. If these measures are not put in place within the prescribed period then you will have to answer questions in case any such incidents are reported. There will not be any reason that you were not aware of the requirements.

A representative of a government school in Manjanady expressed difficulty in generating funds for installing closed circuit television cameras. A director of a private school  said they required more time to install them in school vans. A representative of a private school said that the focus of most teachers has been on the Class 10 students. They have been holding extra classes for slow learners.  To this, Commissioner  Murugan said such classes should not go beyond 6 p.m. “If classes go beyond 6 p.m. the school should take all precautions and  arrange to drop children at their houses,” he said.

To a question from a representative of private engineering college about the need of CCTV cameras in the colleges,  the focus of police was on ensuring safety of children aged 18 and below. The police would welcome surveillance measures at the engineering colleges. “There are lot of advantages of having these surveillance devices,” he added.