BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar police in collaboration with KISS Foundation and SN Mohanty Charitable Trust on Monday launched an initiative ‘Prarambh’ to create awareness on ills of elopement among minor boys and girls. Under it, social media campaigns and outreach programmes will be conducted in the city, primarily slums.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash said workshops in schools and colleges will be held to create awareness on the fact that legal action can be initiated against minor boys for eloping with minor girls. “Besides this, youths in educational institutions will be advised to responsibly use social media,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash.
Counselling and assistance will also be provided to the victims and their family members after rescuing them. Efforts will be made to make Bhubaneswar urban police district’s (UPD) kidnapping and man missing cell more robust, he added.The police also appealed to the parents to sensitise their children.
Attending the event, Bollywood actor Rahul Bose pointed out about the violations and crimes taking place online and advised youngsters to be cautious while using social media. Lok Sabha MP and KIIT and KISS founder, Achyuta Samanta, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner SK Priyadarsi and Additional Police Commissioner Rekha Lohani were present.
In the last six months, the city police have closed 295 kidnapping cases and rescued 241 missing girls. Most of the kidnappings were actually cases of elopement by minor girls and boys, police said.