Nagpur: In the wake of recent email threats sent to 16 educational institutions, Nagpur Police on Saturday directed schools and junior colleges across the city to implement an extensive security upgrade, making staff verification, surveillance and student safety measures a top priority.Addressing principals, teachers and management representatives at the ‘Our School, Our Security’ programme, CP Vishwas Nangre Patil emphasised strict adherence to Supreme Court guidelines requiring background checks of school employees, transport staff, vendors and other personnel before they are hired.The CP made it clear that sexual offenders must not be employed in any capacity in educational institutions, including as bus drivers, conductors, van operators, security guards or support staff. Police verification of all transport personnel has been made mandatory. DCP (Special Branch) Sandeep Pakhale added that schools must also comply with GRs governing safety and security protocols.Nangre Patil stressed the need for comprehensive physical and cyber security audits, robust perimeter protection, and functional CCTV systems with adequate data backup. He urged schools to strengthen engagement with students and provide psychological counselling. Joint commissioner of police Navinchandra Reddy also attended the programme.Highlighting the recent child abduction incident at Daga Hospital, the CP said reliable security systems and working surveillance cameras were non-negotiable. He directed schools to conduct character verification of all staff and encouraged authorities to report drug peddling, tobacco sales, e-cigarettes, suspicious persons and other illegal activities within 100 yards of campuses. Assuring confidentiality, he shared his mobile number with participants.To crack down on offenders targeting students, Nagpur police will soon deploy plain-clothes personnel carrying hidden cameras around educational institutions to identify drug traffickers, eve-teasers, and molesters. Interactive WhatsApp groups at police station, division and zonal levels will also be created for real-time communication and feedback.Referring to NCRB data placing Nagpur 19th in crimes against women, Nangre Patil expressed concern over the age profile of teen rape survivors and urged parents, teachers and children to maintain open communication, so incidents are reported early.Additional CP Vinita Shahu warned about the rise in POCSO cases and urged greater vigilance in school buses, toilets and other vulnerable areas. DCP (cyber) Deepak Agarwal urged teachers to identify students displaying unusual behavioural patterns. During the interaction, several school representatives flagged the reported availability of suspicious “white powder” within and around educational institutions and near some MahaMetro stations.21 pink booths to serve as roadside help desks for womenCity police will set up 21 pink booths across Nagpur, according to DCP (traffic) Aditya Mirkhelkar. These booths, managed by the traffic department, will function as dedicated help desks and complaint centres for women on city roads. Additional CP Vinita Shahu informed school representatives that the pink booths will provide immediate assistance to women in distress. Police said the pink booths will operate as visible, accessible points of contact, ensuring that women needing help can approach officers without hesitation.12 all-women Nirbhaya Pathak to hit roads soonTwelve all-women Nirbhaya Pathak teams will be launched in the city very soon, additional CP Vinita Shahu announced while addressing school managements. Dedicated patrolling vehicles will be allotted to these teams. Cases of harassment will be closely monitored. The move is part of a wider effort to strengthen women’s safety in and around educational institutions and public spaces.Each five-member team will operate in both plain clothes and uniforms near schools, colleges, malls, bus stands, women’s hostels, and other places. Equipped with hidden video cameras, the teams will specifically target habitual offenders. “Police would initiate suo moto actions,” said the CP.
