For the first time, a panel consisting of school children will choose two police officials for their compassionate work in dealing with crimes against children.
In an effort to sensitise and motivate special juvenile police, Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has taken up an initiative to reward two police officials for compassionate work.
The CWC has set up a jury to select two officials (a man and a woman. The jury consists of two school children and a college student, besides a representative each from corporate and civil society.
Children are being made part of the panel to ensure that their point of view is taken into consideration while choosing officials for the award and also bring in awareness among school children.
“The CWC has taken this initiative with another social enterprise Labournet Services Pvt Ltd. The award will be given to two officials once in six months and the officials chosen by the jury will get `10,000 cash prize and a rolling shield. The idea is to sensitise more police officials in regard to crimes involving children,” CWC Chairperson Meena K Jain said.
“Formal announcement of the award will be made on Tuesday at a meeting of the police officers. However, the names of the jury members will not be made public,” she said.
The senior police officials said their staff have been sensitised in handling rape victims.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Pronab Mohanty said special act sections are also clampedin cases of minor victims since November.
“The cases of rape under the age of 10 years are a serious concern. We are taking such cases seriously and also sensitising officials about the investigation. In all the cases, arrests have been made and chargesheets will be submitted within stipulated time,” he said.