Pune’s first Child Friendly Police Station established at Lashkar police station

Akash Dhanurkar

The first ever child friendly Police Station in Maharashtra, located in Pune, Camp, with the help of city based NGO, ‘Hope for Children’, who partnered with the Pune Police to set up the Police station, was inaugurated by the Commisioner of Pune Police, Amitabh Gupta. The Police station will prove to be crucial to serve justice to the juveniles who are caught in crimes, or found to be the subject of crimes like sexual harassment or child labour.

While addressing about the Police Station, DCP Bacchan Singh, said, “This Police station will ensure speedy, assured and reliable justice to the juveniles. Over the years, we have witnessed growing crimes under Juvenile act. So, this project is going to be one step ahead to win the trust of children and eradicate the crimes against and from the children. Special thanks to ‘Hope for Children NGO’ and other NGO’s, who partnered with Pune Police, for working on such an important subject in the recent times.”

‘Hope for Children’ NGO member, Shakil Shaikh, while talking to Pune Pulse said, “To be honest, we have been working for the past one to two years to set up this Children Friendly Police Station. We want to win the trust of the children who report or are subject crimes, who do not really speak up fearing the Police officials. We want these children to approach us and the Police station in case of any crime they are the witness or the subject. Credit to the Pune Police for

Commissioner of Pune Police, Amitabh Gupta, said, “Many more projects are being planned once the city gets freed from COVID. However, this project is going to be crucial to clean the old and long standing perspective of watching the Police officials in a bad frame. It will also help us understand the issues related to Children as it is very hard to get things out from child after they cave under fear.”

Abhay Karandikar, director, IIT Kanpur said, “I want to thank the Pune Police for allowing me to inaugurate the Police station, and I would personally want the Police station to be friendly for people from all the age groups. However, this is a great move towards Juvenile Justice act. I would also congratulate the ‘Hope for Children NGO’ for coming forward to help the Police Department. I believe that such Police stations should be there in every city to make the children feel confident and reliable enough to register complaint against their and unheard and unspoken issues.”