COIMBATORE: The Project Pallikkoodam has helped not only in preventing crime against children but also in safeguarding students from committing crimes, Superintendent of Police V Badrinarayanan said on Friday.
While speaking at an event of handing over recovered stolen mobile phones to victims, he said, "Through the consecutive awareness programme under Project Pallikkoodam Phase II, we made students report the offences against them to the police and many students opened up about their traumas caused by other students. It helped us to take preventive measures in 55 complaints and to register 10 POCSO cases since June 2022. Through these efforts, the police prevented the students from becoming not only the victims but also criminals.
While explaining the preventive measure, Badrinarayanan said that in one case, a student threatened a girl that he would morph her photo and release it on social media. "The girl reported it to the police during the awareness drive, following which police explained the legal consequences that he would face if he committed the offence. He apologized for his behaviour."
"If we know any student is under threat, he/ she will be given counselling. Simultaneously we initiate action against the person who threatens the student. If it is a student we should educate them through the same counselling. Once we did not approach them it could be turned into a crime. As of now, under the 'Project Pallikkoodam' we covered 46884 students in 687 schools through 1302 sessions that include self-defence classes at 10 schools," Badrinarayanan added.
He further said that 153 POCSO cases were booked this year and all the suspects were arrested. Among this, 134 POCSO cases were charge-sheeted and 120 cases were taken on file at court out of which 10 cases were convicted.
Besides, he also said that police have registered 7519 cases and arrested 8543 offenders on various charges in the last nine months. He also said 60 suspects were arrested in 34 murder cases. "Around 660 kg of drugs worth Rs 70 lakh including synthetic drugs and ganja-laced chocolates were seized in 349 cases and 469 suspects were arrested. As many as 3191 kg of tobacco products were also seized in 420 cases," he said.
"In the last 17 months, we have traced and handed over around 1500 mobile phones worth `2.5 crores, to the owners of the mobile phones. In 2023 as many as 711 mobiles worth `1.3 crore were traced, he said.