Kochi police to go on trail of truant students

KOCHI: Police have decided to go on extra vigil especially in the sensitive areas of Mattancherry and Fort Kochi where, in the latest instance, juveniles were found involved in the rape at a home stay.

Laying stress on these areas and also covering other areas of the city, Kochi City police has  launched the ‘Student Care Project’ which will keep track of truant students who bunk classes and go after liquor and other intoxicants and thus turn criminals as well.

The programme is implemented through an ‘online attendance tracking system’ of the students and sharing the information with parents. Initially it will be implemented in 70 educational institutions in and around Fort Kochi and Mattancherry.

The Student Care Project was launched at a workshop at Thoppumpady Beeyems Hall on Wednesday which was attended by senior police officials, student representatives, teachers and parents.

“We collect attendance list from each institution about half an hour into the class time every day, based on which police will call up the absentees’ parents and verify the reason of their absence. The parents may be becoming aware of their absence by then. The parents and school authorities will be cautioned in such cases. We will also track the students so that they are brought to the right track,” said G. Venu, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mattancherry.

The squads of the police will also picket bus stations, shopping malls and movies houses to track the truant students. The public will also be given a phone number to inform about such students.

“Residents associations, bus staff, traders and auto drivers also will be alerted on giving information about such problem students,” said Venu. The first class was taken by Kottayam Intelligence Deputy Superintendent of Police V Ajith.

Records with the Mattancherry police division show that at least 10 of the 69 persons arrested for drug abuse recently were minors while the remaining belonged to under 20 age group.