With decorated walls, books and toys, Telangana gets its first 'child-friendly' police station 

Telangana's first 'child- friendly' police station was inaugurated recently at Medipally, in association with Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), founded by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi.

As part of the joint initiative, BBA will also organise a training session in order to raise awareness, sensitise and inform police personnel on the guidelines laid down by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for establishing child-friendly police stations, an official release said.

While highlighting the role of police in child-related issues, the organisation apprised the stakeholders on the importance of ensuring that no procedural provisions are disregarded while dealing with the distressed children, it said. Speaking at the inaugural event, Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat appreciated the efforts and role of BBA in constructing the state's first child-friendly police station.

With assistance from BBA, the child-friendly police station with 'child-friendly corners' was decorated with wall paintings, furnished with beds, water coolers, in order to make children, visiting the police stations, comfortable and feel relaxed. Apart from this, books, toys and games have been made available, it said.

Samir Mathur, CEO BBA said, "Child-friendly police stations play a vital role in ensuring that every child has proper and timely access to justice. These police stations promise a facilitating environment and also encourage higher reporting of crimes relating to children." Police said that during the operation 'Smile' and operation 'Muskaan', a total of 1,884 children (1,460 boys and 424 girls) were rescued in the limits of Rachakonda Commissionerate from 2017 till date.

Rachakonda Police in association with other government departments and NGOs have already started 'work-site schools' for rescued children from brick kilns under 'Brickline School' where children of migrant labourers from Odisha are imparted education in their mother tongue.