Concerned over the increasing instances of students pursuing studies in different educational institutions, indulging in criminal activity, DGP Dr R P Sharma today issued a set of advisories meant for managers of educational institutions as well as parents. He directed all police officers to take special measures on the issue.

The magnitude of such crimes among students have been increasing manifold day by day which has been a major concern for college authorities as well as parents in particular, and police in general, said the DGP. There is an urgent need to undertake suitable measures to deal with this sensitive problem and endeavour to make all the educational institution a crime-free zone, he said. He directed the poilce across the state to intensify patrolling in and around college premises, stop sale of drugs, tobacco and contraband products, initiate special drive in this regard.

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The DGP asked officers to deploy plain cloth personnel to detect outsiders committing antisocial activities and conduct raids to detect antisocial elements, who pass lewd comments on female students and also resorting to eve teasing. Police should organize a drive in co-ordination with local RTA for issuance of driving license to the eligible students.

It should develop intelligence inputs by regularly interacting with students to identify mischief mongers, and to take action against them in consultation with college authorities. The DGP said both parents and students should be sensitized on the misuse of smart phones and IT gadgets and precautions they should follow.

Similarly, he listed out guidelines for educational institutions and called upon the management of such institutions to report to the police at the earliest to avert escalation of violence in campuses. There is a general tendency of management to avoid police and report only when a major crime takes place, observed Dr Sharma.

The college authority should create a data-base of all students studying in the institution and share the same with local police. Faculty and staff of management should regularly make rounds of hostels and rented accommodation/mess, where students are staying outside the hostel, to ascertain their well being.

Dr Sharma asked the management of institutions to install quality CCTV cameras in the campus, hold counselling sessions and anti-ragging sessions. To the parents, the DGP’s circular noted that a sizable number of students studying in various professional educational institutions are from outside Odisha and when they leave home for the first time and stay outside, it is noticed that the air of freedom gives them a kick to freak out and fall into bad company.

The parents are advised to frequently visit their wards to look after their well being and keep watch on their activities. The parents need to be vigilant about electronic gadegets used by their wards and see to it that their children refrain from visiting pubs, bars etc, the DGP stated.