Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD. Kumarganj
A campaign aimed at preventing child trafficking, child marriage and substance abuse brought police officials, social workers and educators together at Dangarhat High School in Kumarganj block of South Dinajpur district on Tuesday.
The awareness programme, held at noon, was jointly organised by the South Dinajpur CID, the Anandadhara initiative of the District Rural Development Cell (DRDC) and Shaktibahini. A large number of students took part in the programme, which focused on child safety, the responsible use of social media, the dangers of trafficking, the consequences of child marriage and protections available under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Among those present were Ashim Mondal, an inspector with the South Dinajpur CID; Rezaul Mondal, Teacher-in-Charge of Dangarhat High School; Mizanur Rahman, district coordinator of Shaktibahini; Hanuta Ram of the Hili BSF Anti-Human Trafficking Unit; Priyanka Mondal Saha of the DRDC Cell’s Anandadhara programme; teachers and representatives of the police administration. Lady Sub-Inspector Rina Rabidas of Kumarganj police station and Lady Sub-Inspector Rumpa Das of Balurghat Women’s Police Station also attended.
Mr.Ashim Mondal, addressing the students, urged them to exercise caution while using social media. He warned that children can become targets of deception, inducement and other forms of crime through online platforms. He advised students not to communicate recklessly with strangers, share personal information or photographs with unknown people, or click on suspicious links.Mizanur Rahman highlighted the importance of creating a safer environment for children and said awareness programmes and social initiatives were being conducted across South Dinajpur to educate children and parents about their rights and safety.He also spoke about the risks associated with child trafficking and urged students and parents to remain vigilant.
The police officials addressed issues of personal safety as well. Rina Rabidas spoke to the students about “good touch” and “bad touch,” explaining how children can identify inappropriate behaviour and when they should seek help from a trusted parent, teacher or the police.Rumpa Das discussed the provisions of the POCSO Act and the harmful consequences of child marriage. She explained how marriage at an early age can disrupt a child’s education and adversely affect physical health, psychological development and future prospects.
Priyanka Mondal Saha of DRDC Anandadhara said efforts were also being made at the village level to spread awareness through members of self-help groups. She said the initiative seeks to build stronger social resistance against child marriage and create safer surroundings for children.
She added that sustained efforts were under way with the broader objective of making South Dinajpur a child-marriage-free district.
The programme drew active participation from students, who listened to discussions on trafficking, child marriage, substance abuse and personal safety. The organisers said such programmes were intended not only to inform children but also to encourage families, schools, communities and authorities to work together in protecting them.
The event concluded with students, teachers and guests taking a collective pledge to prevent child marriage and child trafficking, protect children from abuse and contribute to a safer future for the younger generation.
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